title: Non-odontogenic tumors of the facial bones in children and adolescents: role of multiparametric imaging.
abstract: Tumors of the pediatric facial skeleton represent a major challenge in clinical practice because they can lead to functional impairment, facial deformation, and long-term disfigurement. Their treatment often requires a multidisciplinary approach, and radiologists play a pivotal role in the diagnosis and management of these lesions. Although rare, pediatric tumors arising in the facial bones comprise a wide spectrum of benign and malignant lesions of osteogenic, fibrogenic, hematopoietic, neurogenic, or epithelial origin. The more common lesions include Langerhans cell histiocytosis and osteoma, while rare lesions include inflammatory myofibroblastic and desmoid tumors; juvenile ossifying fibroma; primary intraosseous lymphoma; Ewing sarcoma; and metastases to the facial bones from neuroblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, or retinoblastoma. This article provides a comprehensive approach for the evaluation of children with non-odontogenic tumors of the facial skeleton. Typical findings are discussed with emphasis on the added value of multimodality multiparametric imaging with computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), positron emission tomography CT (PET CT), and PET MRI. Key imaging findings and characteristic histologic features of benign and malignant lesions are reviewed and the respective role of each modality for pretherapeutic assessment and post-treatment follow-up. Pitfalls of image interpretation are addressed and how to avoid them.
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiology, Department of Imaging and Medical Informatics, Geneva University Hospital, University of Geneva, Rue Gabrielle Perret Gentil 4, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland. Minerva.Becker@hcuge.ch.
authors.forename: Minerva
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiology, Department of Imaging and Medical Informatics, Geneva University Hospital, University of Geneva, Rue Gabrielle Perret Gentil 4, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stefanelli
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Pathology, Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, Geneva University Hospital, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Anne-Laure
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rougemont
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiology, Department of Imaging and Medical Informatics, Geneva University Hospital, University of Geneva, Rue Gabrielle Perret Gentil 4, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pierre Alexandre
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Poletti
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiology, Department of Imaging and Medical Informatics, Geneva University Hospital, University of Geneva, Rue Gabrielle Perret Gentil 4, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Merlini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005147:Facial Bones; D006801:Humans; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology
keywords: Facial bones; Head and neck; Multimodality and multiparametric imaging; Tumors