ARTIFACTS IN MRI DUE TO DENTAL RESTORATIONS: FACT OR MYTH

Purpose: To identify presence of artifacts if any due to the presence of dental restorations in patients requiring MRI of head and neck.

Method: The medical records of total three hundred patients who required MRI were gathered over a period of one month and of them patients requiring MRI in head and neck region were screened for the presence of dental restorations. Forty percent of them had head and neck MRI done. Twenty one patients among them had dental restorations done. The MRI were interpreted by radiologist and artifacts in the MRI were identified.

Results: Dental composite resin, amalgam alloys, glass ionomer cements and zirconia crowns were not the source of artifact. These have been shown to have little influence in MRI, while metallic crowns have shown significant distortion if present in more than one tooth.

Discussion: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a diagnostic technique that uses magnetic field and radio waves to produce a detailed image of the bodys soft tissue and bone. The presence of high attenuation metal objects in the field of view can cause artifacts. Recognizing the artifacts caused by dental restorations will help clinicians in treatment planning and decision-making.