Dosimetric evaluation for temporomandibular joint cone beam computed tomography exams using different field of view

Objectives. To optimize the absorbed organ dose in relation to the field of view for temporomandibular joint examinations in four cone beam computed tomography devices. Methods. An anthropomorphic adult head and neck phantom, and 192 LiF dosimeters (TLD-100) were used. The dosimeters were placed in the region corresponding to the lens, parotid glands, submandibular glands, and thyroid. Small, medium and large FOVs were selected on Orthopantomograph OP300 Maxio, PaX-i3D Smart, ORTHOPHOS XG, and i-CAT Next Generation device when it was possible. Results. A wide range of absorbed dose values was recorded for all organs due to the different exposure parameters of each device. The radiosensitive organ with the highest dose was the parotid glands. The devices with 5 x 5 cm FOV recorded a lower dose in this protocol, while for the device without a small FOV (<= 5 x 5 cm), the lowest dose was observed with the large FOV (6 x 16 cm). Conclusions. We recommend a double exposure with an FOV of 5 x 5 cm in the OP300 Maxio, PaX-i3D Smart, and ORTHOPHOS XG device, while in the i-CAT Next Generation device, a single exposure FOV of 6 x 16 cm is indicated.