Is cone-beam computed tomography more accurate than periapical radiography for detection of vertical root fractures? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract

<h4>Background</h4>This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the available evidence comparing the diagnostic accuracy of periapical radiography (PA) and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for detection of vertical root fractures (VRFs).<h4>Methods</h4>A search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for articles published regarding all types of human teeth. Data were analyzed by Comprehensive Meta-Analysis statistical software V3 software program. The I2 statistic was applied to analyze heterogeneity among the studies.<h4>Results</h4>Twenty-three articles met the criteria for inclusion in the systematic review and 16 for the meta-analysis. The sensitivity and specificity for detection of VRFs were calculated to be 0.51 and 0.87, respectively for PA radiography, and 0.70 and 0.84, respectively for CBCT.<h4>Conclusions</h4>The sensitivity of CBCT was higher than PA radiography; however, difference between the specificity of the two modalities was not statistically significant.