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Open Dent J. 2008; 2: 73–77.
Published online 2008 June 3. doi: 10.2174/1874210600802010073.
PMCID: PMC2581533
Clinical Practice: Giant Cell Tumour of the Jaw Mimicking Bone Malignancy on Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography (3D CT) Reconstruction
Alessandro Lanza,1,2 Luigi Laino,2 Luigi Rossiello,3 Letizia Perillo,2 Antonio Dell Ermo,2 and Nicola Cirillo1,4*
1Regional Center on Craniofacial Malformations-MRI, Section of Genetic Oral Diseases
2Department of Odontostomatology, and , 1st School of Medicine and Surgery, II University of Naples, 80138 Naples, Italy
3Department of Dermatology, 1st School of Medicine and Surgery, II University of Naples, 80138 Naples, Italy
4Department of Experimental Medicine, 1st School of Medicine and Surgery, II University of Naples, 80138 Naples, Italy
*Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Odontostomatology, Second University of Naples, Via Luigi de Crecchio, 7, 80138 Naples, Italy; E-mail: cirillo.sun/at/libero.it
Received December 7, 2007; Revised December 19, 2007; Accepted May 2, 2008.
Abstract
A wide range of diseases may present with radiographic features of osteolysis. Periapical inflammation, cysts and benign tumours, bone malignancies, all of these conditions may show bone resorption on radiograph. Features of the surrounding bone, margins of the lesion, and biological behaviour including tendency to infiltration and root resorption, may represent important criteria for distinguishing benign tumours from their malign counterpart, although the radiographic aspect of the lesion is not always predictive. Therefore a critical differential diagnosis has to be reached to choose the best management. Here, we report a case of giant cell tumour (GCT) whose radiological features by computed tomography (CT) suggested the presence of bone malignancy, whereas the evaluation of a routine OPT scan comforted us about the benign nature of the lesion. A brief review of the literature on such a benign but locally aggressive neoplasm is also provided.