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Diagnostic Application of Fractal Dimension Analysis of Bone Invasion in Oral Malignancy—A Preliminary Retrospective Study

Introduction Fractal dimension (FD) analysis gives a numerical measure of the degree of boundary irregularity or surface roughness of an object and is based on quantitative analysis of features in an image. It quantifies the trabecular pattern of bone by analyzing the trabecular bone and bone marrow detecting the early changes in alveolar bone mineral content. The aim of this study is to assess the alveolar bone density by FD analysis in digital orthopantomograms (OPGs) showing bony erosion. Materials and Methods The OPGs of 10 patients from the archives of Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology were included in this retrospective study. The radiographs were selected based on set inclusion and exclusion criteria. FD analysis through box counting (using ImageJ software) was applied to the digital radiographs to establish a noninvasive evaluation of bone structure. The FD values obtained were recorded. Results The FD values were recorded and the data were analyzed. FD values showed statistical significance with p < 0.05. Conclusion With the number of samples analyzed and the results obtained, it can be concluded that FD analysis is an innovative method which can be used for early diagnosis of bony invasion in oral cancer. It can serve as a guide to dental surgeons in identifying the extent of bony invasion and can help in determining the margins of surgical resection of oral malignancy. This will prove to be a useful tool in surgical planning of oral malignancy. Abstract