Experimentally produced bone lesions.

The origin of radiolucencies in jawbones has been the subject of many studies; this investigation tried to elucidate this origin in a standardized way. A precision film holder was used to fix film, x-ray machine, and object. Artificially produced bone lesions in bone sections were radiographed in various circumstances. The conclusions were that removal of cancellous bone does not influence the radiographic image in a visible way, damage of the junction area changes the trabecular pattern but does not produce a radiolucency, and a sufficient degree of damage to the cortical bone produces a radiolucency but does not change the trabecular pattern.