Roentgenographic and direct observation of experimental lesions in bone: II

To simulate periodontal and periapical lesions, bone cuts were made in mandibles from human cadavers, and the roentgenographic and visual appearances of the bone were compared. It is evident that inflammatory or tumorous lesions cannot be visualized if they are confined within the cancellous bone. However, if the lesions erode the junction area of the cortex and cancellous bone or perforate the cortex, they can be distinguished roentgenographically. Early stages of bone disease cannot be detected by means of routine roentgenograms, nor can the size of a rarefied area on the roentgenogram be correlated with the amount of tissue destruction.