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Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain is frequently performed on patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), to detect and follow-up intracranial findings. In addition, NF1-related pathologies can appear in the jaws. This case study investigates if it is advantageous to assess the depicted parts of the jaws in the imaging of NF1 patients with intracranial findings, thereby detecting jaw pathologies in their initial stages.

Case presentation: We report on the 3-year management with clinical and radiological follow-ups of a central giant cell granuloma and a neurofibroma in the mandible of a patient with NF1 who underwent examinations with brain MRIs. A review of the mandible in the patient’s MRIs disclosed lesions with clear differences in progression rates.

Conclusion: NF1-related jaw pathologies may be detected in the early stages if the depicted parts of the jaws are included in the assessment of the imaging of NF1 patients with intracranial findings. This could impact the treatment of eventual pathologies before lesion progression and further damage to the vicinity.

Giant cell lesions of the maxillofacial region constitute a diverse group of lesions, which frequently affect the lower jaw, and are commonly detected at younger ages, in the second and third decades of life. They can be categorized as aggressive or non-aggressive lesions, mainly based on clinical behavior. Management is most commonly through surgical intervention. However, many patients consider surgery to be unfavorable due to the sacrifice of surrounding anatomic structures, potentially necessitating reconstruction procedures. Therefore, alternative modalities of conservative therapy have emerged. One method of alternative management is intralesional corticosteroid injections, which have been described with promising results. Here we report our experience with the treatment of a 56-year-old female patient, in whom a non-aggressive giant cell lesion was managed using intralesional steroid injections. This treatment resulted in total regression according to radiographic examinations.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to map the vertical locations of calcified carotid plaques (CCPs), osseous anatomic structures, and calcified soft tissues in the area of the carotid artery, determine to what extent CCPs are superimposed on the cervical spine in coronal images, and analyze the differences between men and women.

Study Design: Computed tomography angiography (CTA) scans of 79 patients were studied. CCPs were discovered in 152 of the total 158 neck sides. Evaluations were performed by using sagittal and coronal reformatted CTA images with maximum intensity projection.

Results: Most of the calcified anatomic structures studied, including the carotid bifurcation, were found in close relationship to the level of the third and fourth cervical vertebrae. In the coronal view, all or most of the areas of the CCPs were superimposed on the cervical spine in 22 of 44 (50%) neck sides with CCP in women and in 37 of 108 (34.2%) in men (P = .070).

Conclusions: The carotid bifurcation is in close proximity to various calcified anatomic structures. This should be taken into account when diagnosing CCPs in panoramic radiographs. In the coronal view, CCPs and the cervical spine are often superimposed; thus, coronal images are not recommended for confirmation of putative carotid calcifications diagnosed on the basis of panoramic radiographs.

Cherubism is an uncommon, nonneoplastic, fibro-osseous disorder of the jaws in childhood and adolescence. It affects the jaw bones by deforming the cortical shell. Clinical features include progressive painless and mostly bilateral expansion of the mandible and/or maxilla. Because fibrous connective tissue replaces osseous tissue, radiographic features generally include expansile osteolytic lesions and a ground-glass appearance. Several treatment protocols for cherubism have been recommended in the literature; however, despite surgical curettage treatment, recurrences may occur. Our aim was to emphasize the high recurrence rate of cherubic lesions. In this article, we present cherubism in a young girl that relapsed after 5 surgical operations before her appearance to our clinic.