Radiografia panorâmica e tomografia cone beam: Análise de tumores dos maxilares

Abstract

The diagnosis through image of neoplastic lesions that affect the maxillomandibular complex has been worthful for dentists in the elaboration of the surgical planning. This work aims to evaluate and correlationate the accuracy of panoramic radiography compared to the cone beam computed tomography, regarding the delineation of odontogenic and non-odontogenic tumors, diagnosed at the city of Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil, in the period between November 2009 and March 2011. There were 23 tumors diagnosed in various regions of the maxillomandibular complex, whose panoramic radiographies and computed tomographies were analyzed by 2 radiologists, in terms of the following radiographic aspects: radiolucency, presence or absence of mineralizations, definition of the lesions edges, expansion and breaking of bone cortical, as well as the relation to the anatomic structures and dental elements. The results were: 73,9% of patients with odontogenic tumors and 26,1% non-odontogenic, having histopathological standard for diagnosis, 65,2% of female patients and 34,8% of male patients, 56,5% of tumors located at the mandible, 34,8% at the maxilla and 8,7% at both arcs. It was observed the limitation of panoramic radiography in the analysis of the radiographic aspects. The cone beam tomography offered results more focused and statistically meaningful for the evaluation of bone destruction, as well as for the expansion of vestibular and palatine/lingual cortical. It was concluded that despite of panoramic radiography being the chosen examination to visualize lesions in maxilla, cone beam computed tomography provides better accuracy in terms of delineation, expansion and breaking of cortical bones, helping in the surgical planning and patient s follow up.