CT and MR imaging in a large series of patients with craniofacial fibrous dysplasia

BACKGROUND: In this retrospective review of patients with craniofacial fibrous dysplasia (FD), the clinical and radiological findings of CT and MR scan were analyzed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study material included 32 patients, at 9 to 68 years of age that were directed for differential diagnostics of several disorders in the head. We recorded CT and MRI data related to the lesion number, location, sidedness, appearance, and sex of the cases with craniofacial FD. RESULTS: Of 32 patients involved in this study, 17 had monostotic and 15 had polyostotic involvement pattern. Bones most commonly involved by monostotic involvement in females were, in descending order, mandibular, maxillary, and sphenoid bones, while the sphenoid bone was involved the most in males. Leontiasis ossea was observed in 2 patients. Sclerotic and mixed lesion types were more common in both females and males. In T1- and T2-weighted MRI sequences, hypointensity was more common compared to hyperintensity or heterogeneous intensity. The type of enhancement of lesions was found similar after contrast medium administration. CONCLUSIONS: In the presence of craniofacial FD during CT or MRI imaging of the head, a detailed description of FD lesions may provide an important clinical benefit by increasing radiological experience during the diagnostics of this rare disorder.