OSSEOUS AND

CARTILAGINOUS
CHORISTOMA
CHORISTOMA

 A mass of histologically normal tissue found in an

abnormal location.
ETIOLOGY
 It is known that choristoma is caused by frequent
trauma and irritation of the affected site by different
lingual activity such as swallowing and articulation.
CLINICAL
FEATURES
 A painless, firm, smooth surfaced nodule.

 Sessile or pedunculated.

 The age at which it occurs can range from 5 to 73 years,

with the majority of patients being in the second or third
decades of life.

 Predilection for women.

(more than 70% reported in women)

 Its size can range from 0.3 to 2.5 cm.

 Most common location is the posterior tongue near the
foramen caecum, although rare examples have also
been reported elsewhere on the tongue and at other oral
locations ( gingiva, floor of the mouth, buccal mucosa ).
-It shows a striking predilection for the tongue (85% of the cases).

 Many patients are unaware of the lesion but may

complain of gagging or dysphagia.
HISTOPATHOLOGICAL
FEATURES
 Well circumscribed mass of dense lamellar bone or
mature cartilage.

 The bone has a well developed haversian canal system.

 Surrounded by a dense fibrous connective tissue.

 Sometimes a combination of bone and cartilage is found.

 The overlying mucosa is acanthotic; Neither nuclear

atypia nor mitoses are evident.
RADIOGRAPHIC
FEATURES
 Radiographically the calcified nature of the choristoma is
evident as a round or oval opacity.
TREATMENT AND
PROGNOSIS
 Osseous and cartilaginous choristomas are best treated
by local surgical excision.

 Recurrence has not been reported.

DIFFERENTIAL
DIAGNOSIS
 Heterotrophic calcification (myositis ossificans).

 Sialoliths.

 Osseous and cartilaginous choristoma.