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C
onventional and digital radiographs remain
toms, the early diagnosis of a variety of jaw lesions
the most available tool for the detection of
is difficult. Conversely, bone scans have the ability
some conditions affecting teeth and bones of
to show reactive modifications in osteoblastic activ-
the oral cavity. Radiographic examinations display
ity that would not appear on radiographic images,
differences in density within an anatomic region and
but do not show morphologic changes. Although its
produce images of relatively high resolution. How-
resolution is not as high as that of radiographs, bone
ever, in view of the fact that conventional radiologic
scintigraphy may be positive if there is, approxi-
techniques demonstrate bony changes when there has
mately, a 10 percent increase in the osteoblastic ac-
been an alteration of 30 to 50 percent of the bone
tivity above normal.2 In many clinical conditions,
mineral content, determination of the extent of some
bone scintigraphy will demonstrate abnormalities
bony lesions by radiologic means alone may become
long before the radiographs. In other situations, it
somewhat erroneous.1 Thus, the x-ray imaging de-
may demonstrate abnormal changes that may rein-
pendence on differential absorption essentially lim-
force a questionable radiographic finding. It may also
its this modality to the tissue electron density, which
help to determine the metabolic activity within a bone
in turn is presented as structural or anatomic changes.
lesion or at its margins.
Since morphological alterations may simply be later
Scintigraphic images are obtained utilizing the
effects of a biochemical process that has remained
intravenous administration of a radiopharmaceutical,
Figure 2. The oblique view suggests that the osteosarcoma, illustrated in Figure 1, has extended to the maxillary
tuberosity
Fibro-Osseous Dysplasias
Fibrous dysplasias of the jaw are believed to
be benign, self-limiting, but non-encapsulated, le-
sions occurring mainly in young subjects. Histologi-
cally, they are characterized by the replacement of
normal bone by a cellular fibro-osseous tissue con-
taining islands or trabeculae of metaplastic bone.
Although jawbone fibrous dysplasias are usually
Figure 3. Anterior, posterior, and right and left lateral monostotic lesions, they may occasionally be part of
images, showing increased uptake of technetium-99m a polyostotic process.24 Enlargement of the lesions is
labeled diphosphonate, which reflects the activity of slow and insidious and persists until cessation of
an infectious process
growth, even n though in some cases it may continue and, thus, helping to avoid a loss of surrounding
od. The treatment of choice is conserva-
into adulthood. bone from graft necrosis or infection. It is espe-
tive osseous contouring by surgery, and its goal for cially useful in reconstruction of the jaw that usu-
ns should be correction of esthetic and
larger lesions ally involves a vascularized bone autograft, because
roblems.24
functional problems. 24 clinical monitoring of the transplanted bone is dif-
graphs are usually adequate for the diag-
Radiographs ficult. Kärcher et al.99 reported their experience with
ver, bone scintigraphy is often useful to
nosis; however, the use of three-phase bone scintigraphy in assess-
establish the extent and activity of maxillofacial le- ing the post-operative viability of seven vascular-
ure 5 shows a planar image of an adult
sions.11 Figure ized bone grafts. According to these authors, in all
patient for whom surgical treatment was considered. successful cases, a positive bone scan correlated
ossible to determine if growth of the le-
It was not possible with a viable bone graft.
graft. Two negative exams, show-
ased, and thus the patient was referred
sion had ceased,
for a nuclear medicine bone scan. The focal “hot spot”
in the right mandibular body demonstrated that the
till metabolically active.
lesion was still