Imaging characteristics of gubernaculum tracts in patients with cleidocranial dysplasia: a computed tomography study.

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the imaging characteristics of the gubernaculum tract (GT) in patients with cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) as visualized with computed tomography (CT). STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective analysis of the presence and shape of GTs of unerupted permanent teeth and supernumerary teeth on CT in 9 patients with CCD. RESULTS: The overall GT detection rate for unerupted permanent teeth was 83.5% (81/97), with no significant difference between permanent teeth without and with adjacent supernumerary teeth (P = .414). The overall GT detection rate for unerupted supernumerary teeth was 83.1% (49/59). Of the 156 total unerupted teeth analyzed, 83.3% (130/156) were judged to have GTs. No significant difference in detection rate of GTs was found between permanent and supernumerary teeth (P > 0.999). A composite morphology consisted of a single GT for a permanent unerupted tooth with 1 or 2 supernumerary teeth in which the dental follicles of the permanent and supernumerary teeth were confluent. In total, 44 groups consisted of 1 permanent and 1 or 2 supernumerary teeth; 79.5% (35/44) had GTs. CONCLUSIONS: A specific composite structure of GTs and dental follicles may signify that 2 or 3 teeth are derived from a single dental lamina in patients with CCD. In such cases, tooth eruption may fail due to the presence of only 1 GT for multiple teeth.

The relationship between the uptake of alveolar bone inflammation and of cervical lymph nodes on fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography.

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the relationships between the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of alveolar bone and those of lymph nodes (LNs) around the neck on 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET). METHODS: The SUVmax values of alveolar bone and of level IA, level IB, and level IIA LNs of 174 patients, including those with and without active odontogenic inflammation, on PET/CT performed for a health check were retrospectively evaluated. The upper and lower jaws were divided into four blocks (right maxilla, left maxilla, right mandible, and left mandible). The SUVmax values of each block and of the LNs were calculated. The differences in the SUVmax of each LN level between patients with and without odontogenic inflammation, and the relationship between the SUVmax values of alveolar bone and of the LNs were analysed statistically. RESULTS: Significant differences in SUVmax values of bilateral level IB and IIA LNs were found between patients with and without odontogenic inflammation (Mann-Whitney U test: right level IB, P = .008; left level IB, P = .006; right level IIA, P < .001; left level IIA, P = .002), but not in bilateral level IA LNs (Mann-Whitney U test: right level IA, P = .432; left level IA, P = .549). The inflammatory site with the highest SUVmax in level IB LNs was the ipsilateral mandible (multivariate analysis: right, beta = 0.398, P < .001; left, beta = 0.472, P < .001), and the highest SUVmax in level IIA LNs was the ipsilateral maxilla (multivariate analysis: right, beta = 0.223, P = .002; left, beta = 0.391, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The SUVmax values of level IB and IIA LNs were associated with a tendency towards a higher SUVmax value of alveolar bone on 18F-FDG-PET.

Imaging Characteristics of Embedded Tooth-Associated Cemento-Osseous Dysplasia by Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Since there are many differential diagnoses for cemento-osseous dysplasia (COD), it is very difficult for dentists to avoid misdiagnosis. In particular, if COD is related to an embedded tooth, differential diagnosis is difficult. However, there have been no reports on the characteristics of the imaging findings of COD associated with embedded teeth. The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence and imaging characteristics of cemento-osseous dysplasia (COD) associated with embedded teeth, in order to appropriately diagnose COD with embedded teeth. METHODS: The radiographs with or without histological findings of 225 patients with COD were retrospectively analyzed. A retrospective search through the picture archiving and communication system (PACS) of the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology of Kyushu Dental University Hospital was performed to identify patients with COD between 2011 and 2022. RESULTS: Fifteen COD-associated embedded mandibular third molars were identified in 13 patients. All 13 patients were asymptomatic. On imaging, COD associated with embedded mandibular third molars appeared as masses that included calcifications around the apex of the tooth. On panoramic tomography, COD showed inconspicuous internal calcification similar to that of odontogenic cysts or simple bone cysts, especially in patients with COD only around the mandibular third molar region. Those with prominent calcification resembled cemento-ossifying fibroma, calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor, calcifying odontogenic cyst, adenomatoid odontogenic tumor, and so on, as categories of masses that include calcifications on panoramic tomography and computed tomography. CONCLUSIONS: The current investigation is the first to report and analyze the imaging characteristics of COD associated with embedded teeth. It is important to consider the differences between COD and other cystic lesions on panoramic tomography, and the differences between COD and masses that include calcifications on CT.

Correlation between the presence of tonsilloliths and the bone defects by periodontitis on imaging analysis: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Very recently, a significant relationship between tonsilloliths and dental plaque-related pathologies was reported using digital panoramic radiographs. Their dynamics over time suggest that tonsilloliths may be in a permanently active phase that functions to remove foreign matter. The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between the occurrence of tonsilloliths and the extent of periodontitis. METHODS: A total of 608 patients who underwent both CT and panoramic radiographs were included in the study. Both of two imaging were retrospectively and independently assessed with respect to the presence of tonsilloliths detected on CT and panoramic radiographs, and bone defects caused by periodontitis detected on panoramic radiographs. The type of retrospective study is case-control. Then, the differences between age groups were evaluated with respect to the degree of bone resorption and its correlation with the presence of tonsilloliths. The relationships between categorical variables were assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient or Spearman's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: There was a significant relationship between tonsilloliths on CT and the extent of the bone defect on panoramic radiographs (Spearman's correlation coefficient, r = 0.648, p = 0.043). In addition, there was a significant difference in the extent of the bone defect caused by periodontitis between subjects with and without tonsilloliths in the 60 to 69-year-old group (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.025), 70 to 79-year-old group (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.002), and 80 to 89-year-old group (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.022), but not in other age groups (Mann-Whitney U test: under 9-year-old group, p = 1.000; 10 to 19-year-old group, p = 1.000; 20 to 29-year-old group, p = 0.854; 30 to 39-year-old group, p = 0.191, 40 to 49-year-old group, p = 0.749; 50 to 59-year-old group, p = 0.627; ≥90-year-old group, p = 1.000). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of tonsilloliths was related to the extent of periodontitis because the structures were responding dynamically.

Comparison of the distribution of the Bartholin and/or Rivinus salivary ducts assessed with magnetic resonance-sialography in patients with ranula and in healthy subjects.

Background: The distribution and drainage of the sublingual gland ducts have various patterns that might be related to sublingual gland-related diseases, including ranula. This study aimed to elucidate the characteristics of the distribution of Bartholin and/or Rivinus ducts in patients with ranula using magnetic resonance (MR) sialography. Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, the distributions and drainage patterns of sublingual gland ducts on MR sialography were classified in 74 subjects without sublingual gland-related disease as confirmed by both medical history and clinical examination and 15 patients with ranula, respectively. All patients had visited Kyushu Dental University Hospital from July 2015 to June 2022 to undergo MR imaging. Data on the distributions and drainage patterns of the sublingual gland ducts, including the characteristics of the Bartholin and/or Rivinus ducts, were then statistically compared between subjects without sublingual gland-related disease and patients with ranula. The images were assessed by an experienced oral and maxillofacial radiology specialist certified by the Japanese Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. The distributions (five groups) and drainage patterns (three patterns) of the sublingual gland ducts on MR sialography were classified in reference to previous studies, with some modifications in all subjects without sublingual gland-related disease and patients with ranula. Results: A significant difference in the distribution of the ducts (P<0.001), with a low number of patients exposing an undetected canal or Rivinius duct, was found in the group of patients with ranula (P<0.05). Regarding drainage patterns, no patient with ranula presented a Rivinius duct only. A significant difference in the drainage patterns of the sublingual gland ducts on MR sialography was observed between subjects without sublingual gland-related disease and patients with ranula (P=0.001). Conclusions: The present results suggest that the distribution of the sublingual gland ducts, mainly, the Bartholin duct, may be related to ranula formation. These findings also demonstrate that MR sialography contributes well to preoperative evaluation and is effective for assessing the complex excretory distribution of the sublingual gland ducts.