title: Comparative analysis of accuracy of diagnosis of chronic periapical lesions made by clinical and histopatological examination.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The preliminary diagnosis of chronic periapical lesions is made on the basis of clinical symptoms and radiographs, which is a reliable diagnostic tool, but it has only a subsidiary role since histopathological verification is essential for the definitive diagnosis. This study was aimed at diagnosing removed chronic periapical lesions and classifying them by size as well as at comparing the clinical diagnoses with histipathological results.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 34 patients diagnosed with chronic periapical process by applying clinical examination and radiography. The removed chronic periapical lesions were processed according to classical histological technique and analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin staining protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to histopathological analysis 53% of chronic periapical lesions were periapical granulomas and 47% were radicular cysts. The size of the lesions ranged from <9 mm (70% of lesions), 9 to 20 mm (18% of lesions) and >20 mm (12% of lesions).The histopathological examination revealed that clinical diagnosis was wrong in 26% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A statistically significant difference between clinical and histopathological diagnosis has been found. The histopathological findings strongly suggest the necessity of complete curettage of lesions sizing >20 mm in order to prevent recurrences.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Dentistry of Vojvodina, Department of Oral Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad. sinisa.mirkovic021@gmail.com
authors.forename: Sinisa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mirković
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tadić
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Durdević Mirković
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Levakov
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010484:Periapical Granuloma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011842:Radicular Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D055815:Young Adult