Imaging Features of Mandibular Ramus Osteoma on Computed Tomography: A Case Report With Literature Analysis

Osteomas are benign, mesenchymal, and slow-growing lesions that arise from the surface of the bone and consist primarily of lamellar/cortical-type bone. They are characterized by the proliferation of compact or cancellous bone. The most common locations for osteoma to originate are the mandible and paranasal sinuses. In the mandible, the body, angle, and condyle are more common sites for osteoma than the ramus, more rarely involved. A rare case of an asymptomatic mandibular osteoma, arising from the right mandibular ramus, in a 47-year-old woman is described. The osteoma was incidentally discovered on the lingual surface of the ramus, extending between the internal and external pterygoid muscles into the right masticator space during a CT for oncologic follow-up. Multiplanar and 3D reformations were acquired by a 128-row CT device. The osteoma showed no dimensional growth during the last 2 years, and no further symptoms occurred, so the surgical procedure was not required. A comprehensive literature review of mandibular osteoma cases, classifying them according to various criteria, including the size of the lesion, the age, and gender of patients, is also presented.