Abstract

Objectives: To determine the potential of“Black Bone” MRI as an alternative to CT in the maturation parameters of the palatine suture and identify the optimal time to perform orthodontic palatal expansion.

Methods: two patients from 10.3 and 25.9 years underwent “Black Bone” MRI “, T1 and T2 weighted spin echo imaging were obtained in the axial plane in addition to routine cranial RMI. “Black Bone” datasets weresubsequently compared to T2 wheighted RMI for the visualisation medial palatine sutures by using a similarbased method to evaluate suture fusion stages.

Results: Patient palatine sutures were consistently identified on “Black Bone” MRI as áreas with different signal intensity according to the maturation stage, from complete separation of the halves to total fusion, as also found in the T2 weighted protocol.“Black Bone” MRI can be considered as an alternative o CTBC to assess the maturation of medial palatine suture for orthodontic purposes. Conclusions “Black Bone” MRI has considerable clinical potential as a nonionising alternative to CT in the assessement of the medial palatine suture.

Key Points:

A. Patient sutures appear hyperintense on “Black Bone” MRI

B. Clearly different stages ofsuture fusion can be identified according to the age

C. No ionising method can be used to find the optimal time to performorthodontic palatal expansion.

Overall, “Black Bone” MRI offeredanimprovedmethod of evaluation and provides a potential non-ionizingalternativeto CT. The sutures wereidentified as areas of increasedsignalintensity, easilydistinguishedfromthesignalvoid of thecranialbone. The sutures could be followed throughout their course in most cases.

Keywords: Magneticresonanceimaging; Radiationprotection; Dentofacialdeformities; Malocclusion