Differences in cephalometric analysis measurements: A comparison of computerized versus hand-tracing methods

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of cephalometric measurements using computerized tracing, using specific software, of radiographs in comparison with hand tracing of radiographic printouts. Method & Materials: A sample was used, consisting of 90 standardized lateral cephalometric radiographs, of boys and girls patients with normal skeletal and dental component of group of 10 years old. The radiographs were analyzed by one observers, who performed the manual and computerized tracings, Dolphin Software in McNamara analysis, of all 90 radiographs and then randomly retraced and rechecked with own and another observer. A total of 13 anatomical landmarks of McNamara analysis were located and angular and linear measurements were obtained. Measurement reproducibility was evaluated by calculating intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Differences greater than 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant. Significant differences were found between the two methods for” Inferior Airway Space” in girls’ sample. Cephalometric measurements of most parameters were reproducible for both methods. The study concluded that confidence can be increased in tracings obtained from computer-assisted cephalometric analysis, as the discrepancies found between both manual and computerized, were mostly not statistically significant, any differences were minimal and clinically acceptable.