Elisabetta Cotti

FUTURE ROLE OF ULTRASOUND EXAMINATION IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF PERIAPICAL LESIONS

Considering the important advances achieved in digital imaging of periapical lesions for the diagnosis, treatment planning, follow-up and overall study of endodontic disease, it is now important to look inside the lesions.
To date the two imaging techniques which allow the identification of the nature of endodontic lesions in terms of content (fluid vs solid i.e: cystic versus granulomatous), presence and amount of inflammation (vascularity) are re Magnetic Resonance and Ultrasound Real Time Echography.
Ultrasounds represent the most easily available system to complement traditional CBCT in assessing periapical lesions content. The outcome of the studies conducted in recent years, has shown that echographic examination allows to visualize periapical lesions within the alveolar bone, to measure all their diameters and volumes, assess their vascular supply and their changes in real-time. It also enables the operator to obtain a differential diagnostic orientation between cystic lesions, granulomas and lesions of different nature.
Further, by studying the vascularization of each lesion this could be followed up in terms of its response to the different phases of endodontic treatment.
The exam is biologically safe and it definitely applies for one of the standard of management of periapical lesions.

Elisabetta Cotti, DDS, MS,
received her DDS from the University of Cagliari – Italy and the specialty and MS in Endodontics from the University of Loma Linda- California.
She is Full Professor of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, and the Chairman of the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics at the School of Dentistry, University of Cagliari- Italy. She is currently the Director of the Post Graduate programme (Master) in Clinical Endodontics at the University of Cagliari, lecturer in the Department of Endodontics at Loma Linda University, USA. Elisabetta Cotti is the president elect of IFEA (International federation of Endodontic Associations). She practices limited to Endodontics, and is author of several articles and chapters in the field of Endodontics with has a specific interest in apical periodontitis, imaging and trauma.