Differential Diagnosis of Periapical Radiopacities and Radiolucencies

SMARCB1 (INI1)-deficient sinonasal carcinoma manifesting as oral lesions: A report of two cases

BACKGROUND

Sinonasal carcinomas represent a rare group of malignancies, accounting for less than 5% of all head and neck cancers and a worldwide incidence of less than 1 case per 100 000 inhabitants annually. Despite the restricted anatomical location, sinonasal carcinomas harbor some of the most histologically and molecularly diverse groups of tumors. SMARCB1 (INI1)-deficient sinonasal carcinomas are locally aggressive tumors commonly detected late, leading to devastating morbidity and mortality.

CASE REPORT

We present two cases of SMARCB1-deficient sinonasal carcinoma involving the oral cavity and presenting as progressive radiolucent lesions with local swelling associated with maxillary dentition and alveolar bone. Both cases were initially considered odontogenic in origin and involved the destruction of the left anterior maxilla.

CONCLUSION

Given the rarity and the variable presentation of these tumors, they pose a challenge for head and neck surgeons, dentists, and pathologists due to the potential overlapping features with odontogenic and non-odontogenic inflammatory and neoplastic lesions. These cases highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary team and include SMARCB1-deficient sinonasal carcinomas in the differential diagnosis of destructive lesions of the maxilla.

Occurrence of radiopaque and mixed lesions at periapical region in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have different effects on bones, cartilage and joints, sometimes destroying the spine and joints, and other times causing new bone formation. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of RA and AS on the types (radiolucent, radiopaque and mixed) of periapical lesions in jaw bones.

METHODS

This study included 708 individuals (97 with AS, 327 with RA and 284 healthy controls (C)) and a total of 17,118 teeth (AS: 2,442; RA: 7,638; C: 7,038). The number of teeth, extracted teeth and teeth with root canal treatment and the presence of radiopaque, radiolucent and mixed periapical lesions were recorded from dental panoramic radiographs. Kruskal-Wallis and chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

The frequency of radiopaque lesions in the AS and RA groups was similar (p > 0.05) and significantly higher than in the C group (p < 0.05) (AS: 13.4%; RA: 6.1%; C: 2%). Mixed lesions (AS: 3.1%; RA: 4.0%; C: 0.4%) were statistically significantly higher for the RA group compared to the C group (p < 0.05), while the AS-C and AS-RA groups were similar (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in terms of radiolucent lesions among groups (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Radiopaque apical lesions were frequent in RA and AS patients, while mixed lesions were significantly higher in RA patients.

Comparison of the diagnostic efficacy of 2D radiography and cone beam computed tomography in persistent apical periodontal disease: A PRISMA-DTA systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to answer the question: Do conventional radiographs (periapical/panoramic) afford better diagnostic outcomes than cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) as a complement for clinical diagnosis of apical lesions with persistent apical periodontitis or disease after root canal treatment?

STUDY DESIGN

Five electronic databases were searched and provided information to enable construction of a table to determine primary diagnostic measures and secondary parameters. The evidence was appraised with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool and GRADEpro software.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven articles (9903 diagnostic images) were included. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC_ROC), positive predictive value, negative predictive value, negative likelihood ratio, and accuracy were 0.58, 1, 0.77, 1, 0.68, 0.45, and 0.79, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Moderate certainty evidence suggested that conventional radiographs showed poor sensitivity and excellent specificity but good diagnostic performance in terms of AUC_ROC and accuracy. Sensitivity, AUC_ROC, and negative likelihood ratio values could be reduced if the time elapsed to diagnosis after root canal treatment exceeded 5 years. The use of CBCT with a reduced field of view or a 2D radiographic technique should be weighed considering patient-specific and indication-oriented criteria as taking precedence over the therapeutic goal.

[Imaging features of osteomyelitis of the jaws with different diagnostic methods. A review]

Osteomyelitis of the jaws (OM) is an infectious pathology involving the bone marrow. It is due to various etiologies, the main one being odontogenic. The diagnosis of OM is a challenge for dentists, who must rely on clinical and imaging examinations. Panoramic radiography is the most frequently used imaging test, but it has some limitations that have improved with the incorporation of new imaging methods such as computed tomography, cone beam computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and bone scintigraphy with radionuclides. The purpose of this review was to describe the imaging characteristics of OM of the jaws according to the radiological diagnostic methods available in the literature in order to provide radiologisst with greater knowledge and improve reporting in daily practice.