# Super-resolution dual-energy dental CT based on distributed x-ray source and photon counting detector

> **NIH NIH R41** · TETRAIMAGING, LLC · 2021 · $221,668

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
With cone-beam CT's introduction in dentistry, dental clinicians could not only have profound knowledge of
oral pathology but could also enhance the access to a detailed view of the underlying structures and their
relations. Dental CBCT could be justified for presurgical diagnosis, preoperative planning and preoperative
transfer for oral implant rehabilitation. The image quality of CBCT, however, is suboptimal and suffers from
strong image artifacts stemming from excessive x-ray scattering, limited detector performance. Spatial
resolution, the most important parameter objectively defining image quality, is insufficient for many dental
applications where the fine details often have to be depicted. We will develop and validate a novel dental
imaging system that not only fundamentally eliminates the image quality problems and but also can produce
superior image resolution in 3D images. The super-resolution dual-energy Tetrahedron Beam CT (TBCT)
employs a novel multi-pixel thermionic emission x-ray (MPTEX) source with wobbling focal spots as well as
an energy-resolved photon-counting detector (PCD). TBCT scans the patient with a stack of fan beams that
have a very low scatter-to-primary ratio (SPR); The PCD detector can count x-ray photons without
electronics noises, thus can reduce radiation exposure and dental artifacts due to photon starvation; The
dual-energy capacity of PCD further eliminates beam-hardening artifacts and supports material
decomposition; The flying focal spots and Time-delay-integration (TDI) detection will compensate gantry
motion, and super-resolution 3D images can be reconstructed with optics-model based iterative image
reconstruction (IIR). Super-resolution dental TBCT will fit in the gap of high-performance 3D imaging in
dentistry, allow further advancing the productivity and quality of care in dental practice. The following
specific aims have been designed to accomplish this goal: Aim 1: Develop MPTEX source with variable
focal spot size and location; Aim 2: To develop and validate a super-resolution dental TBCT benchtop
imaging system.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10258444
- **Project number:** 1R41DE029727-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** TETRAIMAGING, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Emre Toker
- **Activity code:** R41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $221,668
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-21 → 2023-09-21

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10258444

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10258444, Super-resolution dual-energy dental CT based on distributed x-ray source and photon counting detector (1R41DE029727-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10258444. Licensed CC0.

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