We reported a case of chronic cheek cellulitis which caused difficulty in differential diagnosis from chronic osteomyelitis of mandible. By means of diagnostic imaging, using 3 phase bone scintigraphy, we obtained useful information.
At first we suspected from clinical appearance, that this case was mandibular osteomyelitis, but dynamic and pool scintigram showed increased radioactivity in the cheek lesion, and later scintigram did not show abnormal RI accumulation in the mandibular bone. This indicated that infectious change was localized in the soft tissue, but did not exsist in the bone.
In conclusion, 3 phase bone scintigraphy can evaluate the diffrentiation between cellulitis and bone infection, and would be instrumental in determining for diagnosis and prediction of prognosis.
