Digital panoramic radiography versus cone beam computed tomography in the delineation of maxillomandibular tumors

This research aimed to compare the efficacy of digital panoramic radiography (DPR) with that of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for delineation of odontogenic and nonodontogenic tumors. From November 2009 through March 2011, 23 tumors in the maxillomandibular complex were diagnosed by histopathological examination. All DPRs and CBCTs were obtained and analyzed by a single previously calibrated radiologist, who considered the following radiographic aspects: clarity of the lesion edges, relation with dental elements, involvement of adjacent anatomical structures, cortical bone expansion and disruption, and, if present, type of involved anatomical structures and site of bone expansion and disruption. Of 23 patients, 15 (65.2%) were male and 8 (34.8%) were female. The tumor was classified as odontogenic in 73.9% of patients and nonodontogenic in 26.1% of patients. Analysis revealed that 56.5% of the tumors were located in the mandible, 34.8% in the maxilla, and 8.7% in both arches. For all analyzed variables, CBCTs offered more accurate details than did DPRs. Panoramic radiography should not be the examination of choice to visualize lesions in the maxillomandibular complex.