Images below require Macromedia's Flash Player to view

Neuroradiology Case of the Week

Case 200

Malin Cesarz, MD and Per-Lennart Westesson, MD, PhD, DDS

Clinical Presentation: Patient is a 53-year-old man who presented to the emergency department after being assaulted  on the head and face while intoxicated.

Radiological Findings:

Diagnosis: Torus mandibularis

Discussion: Torus mandibularis is a type of bone outgrowth, or exostosis, which originates on the lingual surface of the mandible. Typically these exostoses are located above the myohyoid line and opposite the bicuspids. They are more commonly bilateral, but in 20% of the cases they are unilateral. They are usually asymptomatic and discovered incidentally. Males and females are equally affected. Reported incidence is 6-8% in the US.
     On imaging, torus mandibularis appear as protruberances of bone density. Exostoses of compact bone have homogenous radiodensity, while those which contain a marrow space have heterogenous radiodensity due to trabeculations.

References:

1. Som PM, Curtin HD. Head and Neck Imaging, Vol. 1, 4th ed. Mosby, 2003:958, 961.
2. Valvassori GE, Mafee, MF. Imaging of the Head and Neck. Thieme, 1995:519.