Radiology for Maxillofacial Surgeons: The Essentials
AbstractThe current scenario of radiological imaging of the maxillofacial region is a far cry from its humble beginnings. Rapid strides have been made over the years, with Radiology having made an immense impact on the practice of maxillofacial surgery. These advances in imaging, play a vital role not only in the diagnosis of maxillofacial disease conditions but also in the planning and implementation of appropriate and timely treatment. Since Radiology has a crucial role to play in the practice of maxillofacial surgery it is essential that a MFS should have basic understanding of the core concepts of different imaging techniques, their similarities and differences and should also be able to comprehend how imaging helps both diagnosing the clinical condition of a patient as well as management of the same.Chest Radiography and High-Resolution Ultrasound of the cheek are two imaging techniques, that are both useful and of interest to the MFS and so have been discussed in elaboration. Chest radiographs are one of the imaging investigations most frequently requested for and is of prime importance in many patient pathways. High resolution ultrasound too has a wide range of applications in the maxillofacial region, of which cheek imaging is of paramount importance. There being a paucity in existing literature on this newer investigative technique, this writeup is aimed both at creating awareness about it among maxillofacial surgeons and also at conveying the important role it plays in the management of MFS patients.