Differential diagnosis of multiple maxillofacial radioopacities using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT): a case report

Imaging plays an essential role in the evaluation of maxillofacial complex morphology, detection and differential diagnosis of pathologies, and establishment of a treatment plan. A 60 year-old male was referred for a routine panoramic radiograph prior to dental treatment. Panoramic view displayed multiple radioopacities with different shapes and densities scattered throughout the jaws and surrounding soft tissues. In the absence of other incidence, no additional information was obtained on their exact locations, mainly in bucco-lingual dimension. A three-dimensional image, acquired in few minutes with Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) technique, allowed us to make an appropriate diagnosis through an anatomical three-dimensional perspective. Images provided by Cone-Beam technology tremendously improved the accuracy of radiological evaluation of all entities revealed by panoramic radiograph.