Comparative study of clinical manifestation, plain-film radiography, and computed tomographic scan in arteriovenous malformations of the jaws.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to summarize the clinical manifestation, plain-film radiography, and computed tomographic (CT) scan features of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) of the jaws on the basis of a series of 12 patients.


METHODS
This study group comprised twelve patients with AVM of the jaws from February 1996 to February 2001. Seven cases were located in the mandible, and 5 in the maxilla. Both plain-film radiography and CT scan were available for all cases. For the patients with lesions in the mandible, panoramic, posterioanterior, and lateral mandibular views were applied. Waters' position view and panoramic radiography were indicated for AVMs of the maxilla.


RESULTS
Each patient with AVM of the maxillary bone had involvement of adjacent soft tissues. Various radiographic signs were noted, including erosion, coarse trabeculae, and apparent lack of any radiographic change, and CT scans featured cystic expansion of alveolar process with broken cortex. The radiographic signs and CT scan features of AVMs in the mandible were related to involvement of surrounding soft tissues. If involvement of the adjacent soft tissues was found, "soap bubble" radiolucency was shown radiographically and osteolytic expansion with perforation of cortex was present on CT scan. In cases without surrounding soft tissue involvement, the various radiographic signs included multilocular or unilocular radiolucency or coarse trabeculae; osteolytic expansions with intact cortex were found on CT scan.


CONCLUSIONS
AVMs of the jaws showed intraosseous osteolytic expansion on CT scan but had variable appearance on plain-film radiographs.
Fan
Xindong
X
Department of Radiology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, People's Republic of China. yinmeng@public7.sta.net.cn
Qiu
Weiliu
W
Zhang
Zhiyuan
Z
Mao
Qing
Q
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001165:Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008437:Maxilla / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D006472:Oral Hemorrhage / Q000503:physiopathology; D010014:Osteolysis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D003287:Contrast Media