AJR 2001; 177:937-943
Yonetsu Koichi, Nakamura Takashi.
Odontogenic and nonodontogenic tumors and tumorlike lesions of the jaw bones constitute a wide spectrum of radiographic manifestations. Such an unusually wide range of radiographic manifestations may result from the fact that the jaw bones contain dental components of ectodermal and mesodermal origin such as enamel, dentin, cementum, and pulp tissues. In particular, calcifying jaw bone diseases are frequently associated with loose or dense calcifications, some of which are characteristic, although some are not. These calcification patterns have been extensively investigated with conventional radiography. However, CT features of calcifying jaw bone diseases have not been well documented. In this article, we display a panel of CT features of histologically proven benign calcifying odontogenic tumors and tumorlike lesions in the jaw bones to provide provisional information for diagnostic differentiation based on CT.