Static bone cavity in the condylar neck and mandibular notch of the mandible.

This study presents the radiographic findings of two cases of static bone cavity in the inferior aspect of the condylar neck and mandibular notch of the mandible. On plain CT, a soft tissue mass was observed in each cavity. The submandibular gland and the other glands were not found in each cavity. On contrast-enhanced CT, the soft tissue in the cavity in the inferior aspect of the condylar neck had marked linear enhancement and dilated vasculature structure was observed in the cavity. On the contrast-enhanced MRI, the soft tissue in the cavity of the mandibular notch had marked enhancement and flow void was detected in the cavity. In the inferior aspect of the condylar neck, the cavity size had enlarged radiographically over a period of three years. Vascular lesions were found in the cavity located in the inferior aspect of the condylar neck and mandibular notch of the mandible by both CT and MRI. The vascular lesion might explain the enlargement of the static bone cavity.

Evaluation of static bone cavities with CT and MRI.

OBJECTIVES: To determine by CT and MRI the contents of static bone cavities (SBCs), which are thought to be formed by aberration of the submandibular gland. METHODS: Non-contrast-enhanced and contrast-enhanced CT was performed on 12 subjects (10 male and 2 female; age 18-64 years; mean age 57 years) in whom SBCs had been discovered incidentally on panoramic radiographs during routine dental treatment. MRI was also performed on 3 of the 12 subjects. RESULTS: No submandibular gland tissue was seen in the SBCs in any of the cases. However, fatty tissue of low attenuation was found in the SBCs in all cases on CT images. Blood vessels were seen in the SBCs in 10 cases, and enhanced soft tissue in contact with the bone cavity wall was seen in the SBCs in 2 cases. Blood vessels in the SBCs were observed on MR images in all three cases. Dilatation of the cavity blood vessels was seen in all 10 cases. Slight tortuosity of the blood vessels was seen in 4 of the 10 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Examination of contrast-enhanced CT images and MR images revealed that the contents of SBCs were not aberrations of the submandibular gland, as has generally been thought, but fatty tissue, blood vessels and soft tissue.