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Objectives: To investigate the artefacts caused by different disinfection and protection methods that can be used for infection control of photostimulable phosphor (PSP) plates., Methods: The plates that were enveloped with single or double envelopes were sprayed with an alcohol-containing solution or wiped with an alcohol-containing tissue. Four PSP groups with two plates in each group were formed (A = wiping single envelope, B = wiping double envelopes, C = spraying onto single envelope, and D = spraying onto double envelopes). Any artefacts (1 = no artefact, 2 = presence of artefact less than 0.5 cm wide, and 3 = presence of artefact larger than 0.5 cm wide) on the 12 acquired images were evaluated., Results: Artefacts (score-3) occurred on the images of Group C-2 PSP plate after the 3rd exposure. According to the Kruskal-Wallis test the difference between the artefact score of the four methods was found significant. Post-hoc comparisons showed the Group C artefact scores were higher than the others and the difference was significant. The total time of enveloping and disinfection processes for groups was; A = 6.30 min, B = 7.58 min, C = 5.48 min, and D = 7.14 min., Conclusions: Regardless of the number of envelopes, wiping with a tissue was less likely to cause artefacts, while spraying was reliable only when double envelopes were used. However, using a tissue and double envelopes, which are less risky in terms of artefact, causes time loss, difficulty in manipulation, environmental pollution and high cost., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Japanese Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.)

Objectives: Artifacts including scratches and dirt artifacts on the digital intraoral radiographs finally contribute to making inaccurate diagnoses. The aim of this study was to reduce the incidence of artifacts using dual imaging plates (DIPs) in imaging processing., Methods: Conventional X-rays were taken of a porcine mandible embedded in acrylic resin using a DIP which consists of a front IP (FIP) and a back IP (BIP) with some scratches and dirt. The two images of the FIP and BIP were then synthesized and averaged to obtain a conventional DIP image. The following image processing method was used to make a DIP with artifact reduction (DIP +AR ) image. A subtraction image of the FIP and BIP was constructed and the standard deviation (SD) was calculated. If the pixel value was over 3SD on the subtraction images, the pixel value of the DIP was swapped with the value on the opposite side of the non-artifact pixel. The conventional and DIP +AR images were also subjectively evaluated., Results: Image processing to create a DIP +AR image was able to reduce the number of artifacts. Medians of number of artifacts evaluated were 2.00 [interquartile range (IQR), 2.50] in DIP images and 0.67 (IQR, 1.29) in DIP +AR images, indicating a significant reduction of number of artifacts in DIP +AR images., Conclusions: DIP +AR image processing can reduce the incidence of artifacts caused by scratches and dirt, and could extend the lifespan of the IP and contribute accurate diagnosis in oral radiology., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Japanese Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.)