Journal of Dental Medicine

Background and Aim: In recent years, CT scan has become available as an alternative to conventional radiography. To date, the utility of Waters view in detecting midface fractures has been rarely evaluated. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy and reliability of Waters radiography with CT scan in detecting midface fractures.

Materials and Methods: In this tests evaluation study, waters view and CT scan were performed for 42 patients with midface fracture admitted to maxillofacial surgery department of Shariati hospital. All images were observed and interpreted by an oral and maxillofacial radiologist and an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Sensitivity, specificity and reliability for Waters view in detecting midface fractures were assessed by Cohen’s kappa test.

Results: Sensitivity and specificity for Waters view in detection of midface fratures by the radiologist were 31.79% and 95.35% and by the surgeon were 29.59% and 93.75% respectively. The highest reliability in CT scan and Waters view (in nasal fractures) by the radiologist was 66.67% and was 58.33% by the surgeon in buttress of zygoma. The highest agreement rate between the radiologist and the surgeon for CT scan was in zygomatic arch (78.95%) and for Waters view was in nasal fracture (62.5%).

Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the specificity of Waters view is sufficient to diagnose fractures of lateral orbital wall, infraorbital rim, orbital floor, zygomatic arch, frontozygomatic suture, lateral wall of maxillary sinus and Lefort II fracture. The specificity is not sufficient to diagnose fractures of medial orbital wall and anterior, posterior and medial wall of maxillary sinus. Detection of these midface fractures needs other conventional radiographies or CT scan.