Osseous choristoma of the submandibular region: case report

This report presents a case of osseous choristoma in the submandibular region of a 33-year-old female. Her chief complaint was painless swelling in the submandibular region. Panoramic radiography showed a well-defined, round, radiopaque lesion near the inferior border of the right mandibular angle. Coronal and sagittal tomographic images indicated a high-density area in the right submandibular region with no bony connection. The lesion was diagnosed as an osseous choristoma based on histopathological examination of the surgical specimen. A 1-year follow-up period was uneventful.

Chondrosarcoma of the parapharyngeal space

Chondrosarcomas are the malignant cartilagenous tumors and they are seen rarely in the head and neck area. They are usually slow growing lesions. The head and neck chondrosarcomas may show an aggressive course and the occurrence of this malignant cartilagenous tumor in the parapharyngeal space is only a few. They are mostly located in relation with jaw bones and base of the skull. Chondrosarcomas of the parapharyngeal space are limited in number and among them there is no low-grade one. In this case report, a case of low-grade chondrosarcoma which was treated with a simple excision without neck dissection was reported.

Botryoid odontogenic cyst: report of a case with extensive epithelial proliferation

Botyroid odontogenic cyst (BOC) is considered a rare multilocular variant of the lateral periodontal cyst. In this report; clinical and histopathological features of a case of BOC found in mandibular mental region of a 32-year-old woman is presented. There was a multilocular radiolucency extending from the roots of the right premolar to the left premolar, involving almost the whole height of the mandible. Histologically, there was extensive intraluminal epithelial proliferation in the lining and MIB-1 positive cells were noted in the basal layer.

MIB-1 expression in odontogenic epithelial rests, epithelium of healthy oral mucosa and epithelium of selected odontogenic cysts. An immunohistochemical study

The aim of this study is to investigate the proliferative potential of rests of odontogenic epithelium found in follicles of unerupted teeth, epithelium of oral mucosa and epithelial linings of various odontogenic cysts. MIB-1 expression was studied in the rests of odontogenic epithelium (n=10), healthy oral mucosa (n=10), odontogenic keratocysts (n=10) and other odontogenic cysts (n=10) using an avidin-biotin peroxidase technique on paraffin sections. The number of positively stained cells was counted on 10 representative areas of epithelium using a x40 objective. The average number of MIB-1 positive cells in each group was calculated. No MIB-1 positive cells were seen in the rests of odontogenic epithelium. The mean numbers of MIB-1 positive cells detected within the epithelium of oral mucosa, and of radicular and dentigerous cysts were similar. The number of MIB-1 positive cells was found to be increased in the presence of marked inflammatory cell infiltration. The highest number of MIB-1 positive cells was seen in the keratocysts. These findings suggest that removal of an unerupted tooth to prevent the possibility of neoplastic transformation of rests of odontogenic epithelium is not a justifiable rationale.

Waardenburg-Syndrom

BACKGROUND

Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterised by pigmentary anomalies of the skin, hairs, eyes and various defects of other neural crest derived tissues. It accounts for over 2% of congenital hearing impairment. At least four types are recognized on the basis of clinical and genetic criteria.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Based on a screening of congenitally hearing impaired children, 12 families with WS type II were detected. Of special interest was the phenotype of these families, in particular the reduced penetrance of hearing impairment within the families.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

In all cases a high variability of the disease phenotype was detected and the penetrance of the clinical traits varied accordingly. Therefore, it is not possible to predict the clinical phenotype even in a single family. Based on these studies, we plan to identify the pathogenetic cause of the disease in order to perform a detailed genotype/phenotype analysis.

Dysembryoplastic Neuroepithelial Tumor in the Left Lateral Ventricle

Extracortical location of dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT) is rare. We present a case of DNT localized in the left lateral ventricle of a 21-year-old female patient. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed a round mass lesion in the floor of the anterior horn of the left lateral ventricle. The lesion was hypointense on T (1)-weighted images and slightly hyperintense on T (2)-weighted images without contrast enhancement. Total removal of the yellowish-white colored soft tumor was performed through a transcallosal approach. Histologically, the tumor was of simple type of DNT that was composed of small oligodendrogliocytes clustered tightly about perivascular spaces with neurons floating in mucoid pools showing an eosinophilic fibrillary matrix in the background. The recognition of DNT with an unusual location in lateral ventricle has therapeutic and prognostic significance since DNT is curable by surgical excision and radiation therapy is of no obvious benefit.

A clinical study of oral mucous membrane pemphigoid

We present 13 cases of oral mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) and review the literature. The cases were retrieved from the archives of Ondokuz Mayis University and Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Turkey, between 1997 and 2002. Inclusion criteria were clinical findings of oral MMP verified by histological and immunofluorescent examination. Thirteen patients (two males and 11 females), aged 16-72 years, were identified. Involvement was confined to the mouth in all cases except one, in which the conjunctiva was also affected. Two individuals in the study were < 20 years old, an age group rarely affected. The oral mucosa is often the initial site of MMP lesions, so it is important that dentists as well as physicians are aware of the symptoms and signs. A swift diagnosis, made in consultation with other specialists such as ophthalmologists and dermatologists, is needed in order to prevent a delay in treatment.

Nasomaxillary osteotomy in lesions of the central compartment of the middle cranial base

The pituitary fossa, sphenoid rostrum, sphenoid sinus, nasopharynx, pterygopalatine fossa and clivus are the components of the central compartment of the middle cranial base. It is a surgical challenge to gain access to this region. This fact has led to the development of a number of surgical procedures reported in the literature. However, none of these techniques can provide a wide and direct exposure to the middle cranial fossa without morbidity on its own. In this report, nasomaxillary osteotomy is described as a satisfactory alternative to reach the middle cranial fossa. With the nasomaxillary osteotomy technique, a wide access can be obtained to the central compartment of the skull base, caudally till the inferior clivus and upper cervical vertebrae (C1, C2). Since bilateral, internal carotid arteries are in sight laterally, the technique provides a secure resection of tumors with marked lateral extensions. Repositioning the translocated bone segment, surrounding the apertura piriformis, results in satisfactory cosmesis postoperatively. The technique is discussed on the basis of eight cases with the histopathological diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma (1 case), olfactory neuroblastoma (2 cases), chordoma (2 cases) and juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (3 cases). No vascular complication has been encountered. One chordoma patient died of the disease in the follow-up period. All other cases, including one squamous cell carcinoma patient, are alive and disease-free without cosmetic deformity. In conclusion, nasomaxillary osteotomy provides a wide and direct exposure to the central compartment of the skull base in a relatively short period of time, securing the vascular and neural structures. Besides, it offers the advantage that it can be combined with other techniques in extensive tumors, while cosmesis and nasal functions are preserved.

Oral nodular fasciitis: a case report

Nodular fasciitis of the cheek is an extremely rare lesion of the oral cavity. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of swellings in the oral mucosa. We describe a case of nodular fasciitis and discuss the difficulties of histological and clinical diagnosis of this condition.

Results of artificial inflammation in scarless foetal wound healing: an experimental study in foetal lambs

Recent experimental and clinical evidence suggests that the foetus responds to injury in a fashion fundamentally different from the adult. Foetal wound healing occurs without scar formation. The mechanisms causing this difference are still not well defined but absence of inflammation may play a significant role. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of artificially induced inflammation on scarless foetal wound healing. Twelve time-dated pregnant ewes underwent hysterotomies at 70 and 90 days' gestation. A potent chemoattractant agent (N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine) was injected into the upper lip of the foetus in the first operation. In the second operation, a full-thickness incisional wound on the right side and a 3-mm excisional wound on the left side of the upper lip were created and closed primarily. A control wound was created on the lower lip. Macroscopic and histologic examinations of the wounds after birth revealed visible scar lines on the upper-lip wounds but no scar line on the lower lip, and an increase in fibrous tissue and collagen content in the upper-lip wounds. We have shown that injecting a chemotactic agent can stimulate inflammation in a period of gestation when tissue injury can not. Although lack of inflammation due to tissue injury in the early period of foetal life may be an important cause of scarless healing, further experimental studies should be carried out to investigate the pathways that are not activated by tissue injury, the immune status of the foetus and the growth factors involved in the inflammatory response.

Oncocytic mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the parotid gland: report of a case with DNA ploidy analysis and review of the literature

A 44-year-old female presented with a painful mass in the left parotid gland. Histologic examination revealed the characteristic picture of oncocytic mucoepidermoid carcinoma (OMEC) composed mainly of sheets of oncocytic cells with uniform nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm, focally smaller epidermoid cells surrounding poorly formed glandular spaces, and a few cystic structures lined by well-differentiated mucous cells with intracytoplasmic mucin. Immunohistochemical staining with antimitochondrial antibody showed granular cytoplasmic positivity in oncocytic cells. The resulting histogram for DNA ploidy analysis was of diploid type. OMEC of the parotid gland is a recently described rare neoplasm. Only six cases have been previously reported in the literature. For an accurate approach in the management of patients, OMEC should be considered in the differential diagnosis of oncocytic lesions of the parotid gland, most of which are benign.

A histopathological investigation on the effects of the bisphosphonate alendronate on resorptive phase following mucoperiosteal flap surgery in the mandible of rats

BACKGROUND

The present study was designed to examine histopathologically whether local delivery of aminobisphosphonate (alendronate) could be effective in preventing the alveolar bone resorption associated with mucoperiosteal flaps.

METHODS

Following mucoperiosteal flap elevation in the molar region of the rat mandible, a surgical pellet soaked with aminobisphosphonate was locally applied on the exposed bone surface and covered by flap. The determined parameters with a semi-quantitative subjective method for the histopathological evaluation were as follows: existing inflammatory cell infiltration of the related periodontal tissue; fibrotic component content and bundles of collagen fibers; the number and morphology of osteoclasts of the alveolar bone and interdental septum; existing resorption lacunae (osteoclast surfaces); and existing osteoblastic activity (forming surfaces).

RESULTS

The results showed that while there were no detectable statistically significant differences between the saline and alendronate-treated groups on the existing inflammatory cell infiltration (ICI), number of osteoclasts, and osteoblastic activity, the results for the fibrotic and collagen component, osteoclast morphologies, and existing resorption lacunae were statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that local application of the aminobisphosphonate alendronate can be used as an adjunct in therapy for reducing bone resorption following surgery. It can also be suggested for consideration that, even for the surgical approaches in dentistry where bone graft materials and/or dental implants are needed, using bisphosphonate may achieve a new dimension in periodontal therapy in the near future.

Clarithromycin targeting to lung: characterization, size distribution and in vivo evaluation of the human serum albumin microspheres

Microspheres of clarithromycin have been prepared from human serum albumin using the emulsion polymerization technique. Albumin microspheres containing the active substance were injected into the tail vein of mice. Mice were sacrificed at intervals and microspheres collected from lungs and livers. The clarithromycin amount in microspheres was determined by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method from the mice organs. Morphological and histopathological observations were also reported. The microsphere accumulation began at 10 min, and increased gradually until 6 h, then a decrease was observed. The microspheres were still present after 24 h. In the liver sample, no microsphere accumulation was observed at any time.

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma in a child. A case report and review of the literature

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma of late adult file. It is extremely rare in children, though, and its existence in the pediatric population remains controversial. Although the most common site of tumor in children is the extremities, which is similar to findings of adults' series, different sites have been reported in children. Because of the rarity of this tumor in childhood, the approach to treatment of MFH is based primarily on the experience with adults. We present the clinical and pathologic features of an eight-year-old boy with MFH located on his left retroperitoneum and also review the literature.

Destructive membranous periodontal disease (Ligneous periodontitis)

Generalized membranous gingival enlargement due to accumulation of amyloid or fibrin-like material is a rare, destructive and poorly defined disease entity. Some patients also show extraoral manifestations. The lesion is an involvement of periodontal tissues caused by the same process as ligneous conjunctivitis. In this report, 3 new cases, two of whom are siblings, are presented. Defective fibrinolysis and abnormal wound healing seem to be the main pathogenetic mechanism of this unusual disease, which should be evaluated systemically considering other mucosal involvement.

Prevention of restrictive adhesions in primary tendon repair by HA-membrane: experimental research in chickens

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan polymer that has been found to have some beneficial effects on the prevention of adhesions in primary tendon repairs. The need for slow elimination preparations of HA has been identified. We have combined HA and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) in order to get a slow elimination preparation of HA and studied its possible effect on primary tendon healing. A gel form of NaHe (19 mg/ml; mw: 6.5 x 10(6)) was mixed with Na CMC (degree of substitution: 0.8) under sterile conditions. A jelly like mixture was thinned and HA membrane was achieved after drying in the refrigerator. The right legs of Leghorn chickens (n = 30) were prepared under IM ketamine anaesthesia by making partial cuts (75%) of flexor profundus tendons at zone II in the second, third and fourth toes, and repaired using a modified Kessler type suture (5/0 nylon). HA-membranes were applied around the repair sites in the third toes while 0.5 ml of hyaluronic acid and saline were poured on to the repair sites in the second and fourth toes, respectively. Skin incisions were closed and the legs were splinted for 15 days. Biomechanical and histological controls were made at the first, second and third postoperative months. No wound dehiscence or exposure of repaired tendons was observed on the operated toes. After collection of samples by amputation at MP levels, two-phalanx free biomechanical assessment was done. The calculated peaks of differential joint motion were very similar to the corresponding non-operated contralateral toes in the HA-membrane treated group. The toe tip displacement curves also resembled the non-operated ones in this group. HA membrane was detected as blue particles on specimens taken at the 30th day following surgery. There were few adhesions in this group microscopically at the third month. Adhesions were similar in the HA treated group while dense adhesions were seen in the saline treated group. These findings suggest that HA membrane acting as a physicochemical barrier can prevent restrictive adhesions in primary tendon repairs.

Gingival fibromatosis combined with cherubism and psychomotor retardation: a rare syndrome

Gingival fibromatosis is frequently an isolated condition, but rarely associated with some uncommon syndromes. This paper describes an 11-year-old patient with pronounced gingival enlargement, cherubic facial appearance, and psychomotor retardation and discusses the major aspects of the case. The most striking finding orally was the presence of grossly hyperplastic gingiva, which completely covered all teeth except the occlusal surfaces of some teeth. The swelling in the lower part of the face and the appearance of sclera beneath the iris suggest cherubism. The diagnosis was confirmed by the detection of giant cell regenerative granuloma and perivascular eosinophilic particles and osteoclasts after biopsy of the mandible. In this case, surgery was the only effective way to treat the patient. A full-mouth gingivectomy procedure was performed under general anesthesia in 2 stages. The case was followed for 12 months and no recurrence was seen. An appropriate oral hygiene regimen was established.

Dumbbell lymphoma of the cervical spine in a child. Case report

Primary or secondary spinal involvement of lymphoma is a rarely reported entity. An eleven-year-old girl with primary cervical dumbbell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) was presented. We could not found any such growth pattern of primary or secondary NHL'S in the literature. For this reason, we reviewed shortly pertinent literature and discussed the pathophysiologic, diagnostic and prognostic features of the lesion with treatment modalities.

Estrogen and progesterone receptors in the peripheral giant cell granulomas of the oral cavity

Peripheral giant cell granulomas are common proliferative lesions of the oral cavity with a predilection for females. In this study, the presence of estrogen and progesterone receptors in 26 peripheral giant cell granuloma cases were studied utilizing the immunoperoxidase technique. In fourteen cases, estrogen receptor positivity was found in stromal cells. In ten of these, osteoclast-type giant cells also exhibited estrogen receptor immunostaining. Progesterone receptor expression was not detected. It was concluded that the cells forming peripheral giant cell granuloma are potential targets for estrogens and that these lesions might be conditioned by sex hormones.

Ameloblastic fibrodentinoma. Report of two cases

Two cases of ameloblastic fibrodentinoma localized in the posterior mandibular area are presented. The clinical and histological findings are discussed.

Extratesticular epidermoid cyst with extension into the pelvis

We report a case of simple epidermoid cyst of the scrotum with extension into the pelvis. Complete excision was performed transcrotally and the presence of epidermoid cyst confirmed by histopathological examination. Simple excision was sufficient for treatment of this very rare lesion. The patient is now in the follow-up period.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of ameloblastoma. A report of 10 cases

BACKGROUND

Utilization of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of odontogenic tumors seems to have attracted little attention.

CASES

Ten cytologically diagnosed and histologically confirmed ameloblastoma cases were reviewed in order to establish whether it is possible to obtain a reliable cytologic diagnosis of ameloblastomas.

CONCLUSION

Attention to the palisading arrangement of ameloblastlike epithelial cells and digitated, stellate reticulum-like cells may lead to the diagnosis of ameloblastoma. Ameloblastomas can be aspirated easily, and the cytologic features may be sufficiently distinctive.

Laryngeal paraganglioma. A review and report of a single case

Laryngeal paraganglioma originates in the neural crest cells in the laryngeal paraganglia. Two distinct types may be cited on the basis of clinical features, but biopsy is essential for diagnosis. By light microscopy, the Zellballen pattern appears pathognomonic. The treatment consists of surgical excision. In this article, due to the rareness of the tumour, one case of laryngeal paraganglioma is presented. The general knowledge and the available literature are reviewed. The difficulties in the differential diagnosis are stressed and treatment principles are discussed.

Examination of periodontal tissues by a cutting-grinding technique

The decalcification process removes the mineralized part of the dental hard tissues, making the histologic examination of enamel-associated tissues less than optimal. The cutting-grinding technique allows preparation of histologic slides with well preserved dental hard tissues together with their surrounding soft tissue components. In this paper, the histologic appearances of undecalcified teeth and their associated periodontal tissues prepared using the cutting-grinding technique are described.

[A computer-assisted patient databank for the ENT field]

In this study, a patient database program was prepared for patients admitted to the ENT Department of Ege University Hospital, Izmir. The algorithm of the program was created by using dBASE IV. In order to develop a patient database, a careful preparation and running stage had to be accomplished. However, the most important factor was proper maintenance. The greatest problem during the maintenance stage was compliance of the doctors or secretaries using the program. This was overcome by choosing or making a user-friendly, flexible, practical and beneficial patient database program. The study also showed that doctors could make their own patient databases and use them efficiently if they are interested in computers.

Gingival Langerhans' cells in type I diabetes mellitus

Langerhans' cells (LCs) are intraepithelial immunocompetent cells. Changes in the number of LCs occur in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In this study, the number of gingival LCs in patients with type I diabetes mellitus was compared with those of normal individuals using immunohistochemical methods. Gingival biopsies were obtained from 20 type I diabetics and 10 healthy individuals. Anti-CD1 positive LCs formed an intraepithelial network and showed a marked increase in type I diabetics. This increase was not related to diabetic age. The number of LCs was proportional to the density of subepithelial inflammatory cells. Our findings suggest that LCs may play a role in the development of diabetic gingivitis.

Familial gingival fibromatosis with unusual histologic findings

This article describes the occurrence of numerous calcifications, amyloid deposits, and islands of odontogenic epithelium in the gingiva of 3 siblings with familial gingival fibromatosis. These microscopic features have not been reported previously in patients with this condition.

Case report: ionisation tendency of a base metal alloy in the oral environment

A biological interaction between the oral tissues and base metal alloys may result in corrosion and trace metal ion release, if the materials are not inert in the body. The reactions caused by such an alloy, a nickel-chrome alloy, were established on a woman patient who exhibited dark coloured band-like marks on the gingival tissues adjacent to her metal-ceramic crowns. These crowns were replaced by full ceramic crowns and the old restorations were analysed. The affected gingivae were removed, histopathological, patch and systemic tests were also performed. The results throw doubt on the biocompatibility of this alloy.

Pulpal and apical changes secondary to segmental osteotomy in the mandible--an experimental study

Posterior segmental osteotomies were performed on 7 dogs to investigate postoperative changes in the pulpal and periodontal tissue. Osteotomy cuts were made at various distances from the apices of roots. After 3 to 6 months, results were evaluated clinically, radiographically and histopathologically. Clinical and radiographic healing of the osteotomy sites was uneventful. Histological evaluation revealed that when the osteotomy cuts were made at a safe distance (3-5 mm) from the apices of roots, neither important pulpal degeneration nor loss of teeth occurred. Even two of the teeth whose apices were cut off had completely healthy pulpal and periapical tissues. The periodontium in almost all of the cases was also found to be healthy.

Solitary fibrous tumour arising from sublingual gland: report of a case

A solitary fibrous tumour is a pleural tumour which may rarely be detected at non-pleural sites. In this report, the case of a solitary fibrous tumour arising from the sublingual salivary gland is described.

Generalized gingival enlargement due to accumulation of amyloid-like material

Hyaline or amyloid-like substances may be seen in several oral lesions. Some of these originate from epithelial cells and some from connective tissue components. In this study, amyloid-like material causing gingival enlargement in three patients, with eyelid involvement in two, was examined using histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. These accumulations did not share the classical features of amyloid such as green birefringence under polarized light after Congo red staining. Our findings suggest that epithelial degeneration plays an important role in the pathogenesis of these amyloid-like accumulations. These substances may be the result of defective amyloidogenesis and our cases may represent an oral counterpart of ligneous conjunctivitis or colloid milium of the skin.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of malignant lymphoepithelial lesion of the salivary gland. A report of two cases

Fine needle aspiration cytologic findings in two cases of malignant lymphoepithelial lesion (MLEL) of the parotid glands are presented. Aspirates of both cases showed individual or cohesive clusters of tumor cells intermingling with mature lymphocytes. Cervical lymph node aspirates in both cases were similar to those seen in the parotids. Our findings suggest that neither cytology nor histology of the cervical lymph nodes is conclusive in establishing the primary site of a metastatic lymphoepitheliomalike carcinoma. MLEL of the salivary glands must be included in the differential diagnosis.

A comparative histological study of non-porous and micro-porous (algae-derived) hydroxylapatite ceramics

Two different types of hydroxylapatite ceramics were examined histologically to assess their effects on the healing of standardized bone defects drilled in the mandibular bone of beagles. After 40 days both materials were totally enclosed by newly-formed bone, but only the defects filled with micro-porous hydroxylapatite were found to show bone incorporation which is a good indicator of implant stability. These results suggest that the physio-chemical similarities between the micro-porous hydroxylapatite and native bone may promote effective bone incorporation which can increase the stability of implants.

Congenital gingival granular cell tumor. A case report

Congenital gingival granular cell tumor is a rare benign lesion of uncertain origin, which has been found only in newborn infants. This article describes one such case. Our immunohistochemical study employing antibodies against S-100 protein, epithelial membrane antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen, wide-spectrum keratin, desmin and vimentin yielded data supporting the theory of a mesenchymal cell origin for this lesion.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of oral cavity and jaw bone lesions. A report of 102 cases

Fine needle aspiration cytology of oral cavity and jaw bone lesions was performed on 102 patients. The cytologic diagnoses were compared with the results of histologic examination. Thirteen of the 15 histologically malignant lesions and 71 of the 87 histologically benign lesions were cytologically diagnosed accurately. In 12 (92%) of the malignant and 69 (97%) of the benign lesions, specific cytologic diagnoses were given that proved the same or very similar to the final histologic diagnoses. This study showed that the overall accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology in the oral cavity and jaw bones is high and is not significantly different from that obtained in other body regions.

Expression of S-100 protein, epithelial membrane antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen and alpha fetoprotein in normal salivary glands and primary salivary gland tumors

The distribution of S-100 protein, epithelial membrane antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen and alpha fetoprotein was studied in 38 primary salivary gland tumors. S-100 protein, a useful marker of myoepithelial cells, was demonstrated in some benign tumors. Carcinoembryonic antigen expression was consistently positive in adenoid cystic carcinoma. Demonstration of epithelial membrane antigen helped to confirm the epithelial nature of some neoplastic cells. Alpha fetoprotein was not expressed in any of the cases examined. No correlation was found between immunopositivity and tumor behavior in the present series.

Fine needle aspiration cytologic findings in a benign lymphoepithelial lesion with microcalcifications. A case report

Aspiration cytologic findings in a case of benign lymphoepithelial lesion (BLL) of the parotid gland are presented. The aspirate contained a polymorphous lymphoid population, histiocytes, myoepithelial and ductal epithelial cells and numerous bluish, calcified bodies. A cytologic diagnosis of benign nonneoplastic lesion, consistent with chronic sialadenitis and microlithiasis, was made. The clinical impression of neoplasia was inconsistent with the cytologic findings. Subsequent histologic examination showed classic BLL with microcalcifications as an unexpected feature. The value and limitations of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of nonneoplastic salivary gland lesions and the differential diagnosis of BLL are discussed.

Cementifying fibroma diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology. A case report

A case of cementifying fibroma in the right lateral mandible was diagnosed by fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology. The aspirate was a cellular specimen composed of clusters of oval and spindle-shaped fibroblasts with no atypical features. These cells were admixed with spherical, calcified structures. A diagnosis of "consistent with benign fibroosseous lesion, suggestive of cementoossifying fibroma" was made, and subsequent histologic examination confirmed this cytologic diagnosis. The clinical, cytologic and histologic findings in the case are presented, and the value of FNA cytology in the diagnosis of jaw lesions is discussed.

Odontogenic myxoma. Report of a periodontally-located case

In this article, a case of odontogenic myxoma with deceptively bland radiographic findings and a clinical impression of periodontal abscess is presented.