Table 3. Summary of results of included studies.

CBCT: cone-beam computed tomography

Author/year	Method of evaluation	Results	Outcomes
Lofthag-Hansen et al./2007 [13]	Number of roots, root canals (unfilled and filled), roots involved in a lesion, presence of root canal post, periapical lesion, size of the lesion, the effect on or perforation of the cortical bone plate, the distance between a lesion and mandibular canal/maxillary sinus apex and mandibular canal, expansion of lesion into the maxillary sinus, apical-marginal communication, and marginal bone level	Periapical radiograph detected 69.5% and CBCT detected 91.3% of periapical lesion	The detection of apical periodontitis was considerably higher with CBCT than with periapical radiography
Estrela et al./2008 [14]	Periapical index: normal periapical structures; small changes in the bone structure; changes in the bone structure with some mineral loss; periodontitis with a well-defined radiolucent area; severe periodontitis with exacerbating features	Panoramic detected 17.6% and 82.4%, periapical radiograph detected 35.3% and 64.7%, and CBCT detected 63.3% and 36.7% of presence and absence of apical periodontitis respectively	The prevalence of correct identification apical periodontitis was higher with CBCT in comparison with periapical and panoramic radiographs
Estrela et al./2008 [15]	Intact periapical bone structures; diameter of periapical radiolucency: 0.5-1 mm; diameter of periapical radiolucency: 1-2 mm; diameter of periapical radiolucency: 2-4 mm; diameter of periapical radiolucency: 4-8 mm; diameter of periapical radiolucency 8 mm; score (n) # E (expansion of periapical cortical bone); score (n) # D (destruction of periapical cortical bone)	Periapical radiograph detected 39.5% and 60.5%, and CBCT detected 60.9% and 39.1% of presence and absence of apical periodontitis, respectively	The detection of apical periodontitis was considerably higher with CBCT than with periapical radiography
Patel et al./2012 [16]	Based on six categories of periapical changes: new periapical radiolucency; enlarged periapical radiolucency; unchanged periapical radiolucency; reduced periapical radiolucency; resolved periapical radiolucency; unchanged healthy periapical status	Periapical radiograph identified 89.6% and 10.4%, and CBCT identified 86.1% and 13.9% of reduced and unchanged lesions respectively	Periapical radiolucency revealed a 14-fold higher failure rate when assessed using CBCT (17.6%) compared with periapical radiographs (1.3%)