title: Aggressive aneurysmal bone cyst of the maxilla confused with telangiectatic osteosarcoma.
abstract: Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a benign, expansile lesion typically affecting the long bones and vertebrae of patients younger than 20 years. Approximately 2% of ABCs occur in the head and neck region, most commonly affecting the mandible. Although the most common co-existing lesion associated with ABCs is the giant cell tumor, ABCs can be radiologically confused with telangiectatic osteosarcoma in cases of aggressive behavior and rapid growth. Here, we report a case of an aggressive ABC of the maxilla confused with telangiectatic osteosarcoma in a patient who underwent several operations for an osteoblastoma that was diagnosed histopathologically. This case highlights the need for a differential diagnosis both radiologically and histopathologically, because ABCs can easily be interpreted as a giant cell tumor or an osteoblastoma, and, on occasion, can be mistaken for osteogenic malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyu-Sup
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Kyung-Un
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hwan-Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Roh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017824:Bone Cysts, Aneurysmal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology*; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery