Clinical Applications of Reverse Panoramic Radiography

The essence of oral and maxillofacial radiology is not only to be an important tool in the diagnostic assessment of dental patients but also to equip the clinician with the ability to interpret images of certain maxillocraniofacial structures of importance to dental, medical and surgical practices. Although combinations of several conventional xray projections can be adequate in a number of clinical situations, radiographic assessment of certain craniofacial structures sometimes needs to be facilitated by other imaging modalities. A not-sorecent development called reverse panoramic radiography may be a useful adjuvant to such a situation, at least in the near future. It is essentially a technique where the patient is placed backwards in the panoramic machine in a reverse position in such a way that x-ray beam is directed through the patient’s face and the exit beam then passes through the patient’s head on the opposite side where it is captured on the receptor. The following manuscript is an attempt to throw light on this technique and the impact it may have on dental, medical and surgical practices. The advantages and disadvantages of reverse panoramic radiography and it’s comparison to conventional panoramic radiographs and other skull views are also discussed.