[Fortuitous discovery of a Stafne bone cavity in the Cone Beam CT sialography]

The Stafne defect is a benign, asymptomatic, non-progressive and rare bone depression, mainly discovered by chance in the posterior mandibular region. It is described radiographically as an oval radiolucency located below the mandibular canal, in the molar region, close to the submandibular gland. Sialography is a traditional technique in the radiographic examination of salivary glands that involves the injection of an iodine-based contrast medium into the main salivary duct. The Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is a 3D imaging technique that has modernized the dental and maxillofacial practice with its advantages such as high speed, good spatial resolution and low radiation exposure. The CBCT Sialography that consists in a 3D Sialography with cone beam offers the same benefits as traditional sialography and allows three-dimensional viewing. It is a new imaging test for an accurate anatomical study of the major salivary glands and their relationships with their environments. The aim of this report is to present a case of Stafne bone cavity containing right submandibular gland tissue, occurring in a 58-year-old man and diagnosed by using CBCT sialography.