title: Granulomatous diseases of the oral tissues: differential diagnosis and update.
abstract: Because of the relatively nonspecific clinical findings associated with a variety of granulomatous diseases, a microscopic diagnosis of granulomatous inflammation often presents a diagnostic dilemma for the clinician. The most common differential diagnosis includes foreign body reactions, infection, Crohn's disease, sarcoidosis, and orofacial granulomatosis. However, a variety of other conditions may be associated with granuloma formation. Often an extensive clinical, microscopic, and laboratory evaluation may be required to identify the source of the granulomatous inflammation. This article highlights the origin, clinical manifestations, current diagnostic modalities, and treatment of specific granulomatous diseases that may be encountered in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 4010 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. falawi@path.dental.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Faizan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alawi
mesh_terms: D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006099:Granuloma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D015745:Granuloma, Foreign-Body / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy