Purpose: The aim of this work is an overview of mandibula diseases by Ultrasonography, Color and Power Doppler and evaluate potential of this imaging methods in diagnosis intraosseus, soft tissue lesions and correlate contains of lesions with histological findings.
Material and Methods: Patients in our study had symptoms and clinical findings of mandibula disease. They have been referred to the Oral Surgery Department for a treatment. Before, they have been sent to Radiology Department for Ultrasonography examination. According to Ultrasonography findings, mandibula lesion are classified into few groups:
- Inflamation - alveolar process,
- Disorder of masticatory muscles,
- Rheumatic disease of temporo-mandibular joints (Rheumathoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis,etc)
- Tumors - above all odontogenic cysts (derived from odontogenic epithelium) are the most common findings and they definitely defined histologicaly
- Benign tumors - Shwannoma, Giant cell tumor, odontogenic myxoma, mandibular desmoid are rare
- Malignant tumors - usually appear in young people. The most common: squamosa cell-tumor, ameloblastoma, and rare osteo-sarcoma, Ewing-S tumor, multiple myeloma also may affect mandibula.
All patients were examined with linear multifrequency probe 7,5-12MHZ.
Results: In a few case of periapical process there were signs of inflamatory and granulation tissue. In most cases there were simple cystic, complex cystic with semi-solid and solid contains, where Color Doppler detected vascularization. Utrasonography used to asses accurate diagnosis of tumors identifying important features of osteonecrosis, shape, size, type of lesion (distinguish cyst from solid masses), discontinuity from cortical expansion, erosion, perforation, internal contents, than Doppler asses type of vascularity in determination of tumor activity and in that way may play major role in radiological differential diagnosis before surgical treatment or incisional biopsy. All lesion corelate with hystological findings.
Conclusion: Ultrasonography with Doppler can be used as a first effective diagnostic method for mandibular disorders. Potential and its future lie in fact that it is noninvasive, low cost, easily reported, comfortable, widely available method. The other methods conventional radiography, CT, MRI have own diagnostic approach. Confident diagnosis can be performed with histo-patological examination.
