Method and Device for Creating a Cephalometric Image

A method for creating a cephalometric image of at least part of a human skull using a cone beam computed tomography extra-oral dental imaging system having a conical shape x-ray beam and no cephalometric arm, said system comprising:

• an X-ray source for producing the conical shape x-ray beam, said conical shape x-ray beam being used for irradiating a human skull to be imaged;
• an imaging device suitable for producing multiple frames during at least part of an exposure of said human skull, said imaging device being positioned in a position relative to said X-ray source absent use of a cephalometric arm;
• a manipulator for displacing the imaging device along an exposure profile between multiple frames during said at least part of the exposure of said object, the manipulator permitting the movement of the X-ray source and the imaging device via selective translation and selective rotation,
• wherein the method comprises the steps of:
• setting said imaging device with an active area having a long dimension m and a short dimension n, wherein the aspect ratio m:n is less than 1.5;
• synchronously displacing the X-ray source and the imaging device along said exposure profile, said exposure profile comprising at least one substantially linear section wherein said X-ray source and said imaging device are translated along said substantially linear section while rotating in the same rotational direction;
• and
• registering said multiple frames produced by the imaging device during the exposure of said object to be imaged;
• wherein the method is operable to produce two separate bilateral cephalometric images without superimposed anatomical figures, said separate bilateral cephalometric images being stitchable together to form a single cephalometric image.