MR assessment for treatment of periapical lesion

Abstract

Abstract : The magnetic resonance image (MRI) has recently been prevalent for the diagnosis of tumors and TMJ disorders.

 Compared with the conventional radiograph, MRI has the following advantages ;

 1. No risk of ionizing radiation exporsure.

 2. Less limitation in setting the body section for conventional tomography.

 3. Better identification of inflammation and anatomical structure in the soft tissue.

  This study concerned with MR assessment and diagnosis of the periapical lesions found in two patients.

 Case 1 : The patient had no clinical symptoms. The large periapical lesion was well defined on radiography.

 On MRI, the lesion had the signal of very high in T2W image and low/iso mixed in T1W image.

 These findings obtained by MRI showed the typical characteristic of cyst, which had a good agreement with the histopathological diagnosis.

 Case 2 : The Patient complained of the swelling in gingiva.

 The small periapical lesion involving one tooth was ill defined on radiograph.

 On MRI, signals of bone marrow was low and extended to three adjoining teeth by T1W image. Although clinical diagnosis was acute periapical periodontitis, with the use of MRI, this case was diagnosed as osteomyelitis of mandible.