Imaging of Benign Odontogenic Lesions

Radiol Clin North Am. 2018 Jan;56(1):45-62. doi: 10.1016/j.rcl.2017.08.004.

Abstract

Numerous benign cysts or solid tumors may present in the jaws. These arise from tooth-forming tissues in the dental alveolus or from nonodontogenic tissues in the basal bone of the mandible and maxilla. Radiologists provide 2 deliverables to assist in diagnosis and management: (1) appropriately formatted images demonstrating the location and extent of the lesion and (2) interpretive reports highlighting specific radiologic findings and an impression providing a radiologic differential diagnosis. This article provides guidance on essential image protocols for planning treatments, a radiologic differential diagnostic algorithm based on location and pattern recognition, and a summary of the main features of benign odontogenic lesions.

Keywords: Benign odontogenic cysts; Benign odontogenic tumors; Cone beam CT; MR imaging; Multidetector CT; Panoramic radiography.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Humans
  • Jaw Cysts / diagnostic imaging*
  • Jaw Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Radiographic Image Enhancement / methods*
  • Radiography, Dental / methods*