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Tomography of the maxillofacial region
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
Tomography of the maxillofacial region is used in cases where difficulties arise in assessing the summation image on conventional images.
These difficulties may be caused, in particular, by the complex anatomical structure of the maxillofacial region. Layer-by-layer examination is performed in cases of diseases of the paranasal sinuses (maxillary, ethmoid labyrinth), temporomandibular joint, to detect small bone fragments around the eye socket. Before the advent of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, layer-by-layer examination of the temporomandibular joints was the method of choice. Tomography of the lower jaw is performed less frequently, mainly in cases of pronounced hyperplastic reactions that complicate the assessment of the condition of bone tissue.
Recently, tomography has often been replaced by zonography - a layer-by-layer study with a tube swing angle of 8°. The slice thickness is 1.5-2.5 cm, which allows for a reduction in the number of images and a reduction in radiation exposure with virtually no loss of information content. The image of the area being examined is clearer and more contrasting.
Zonography at a depth of 4-5 cm in the frontal-nasal projection with the patient in a vertical position is the method of choice for detecting effusion and assessing the condition of the mucous membrane of the maxillary sinus.