Radiodiagnosis of osteonecrosis of the mandible following radiation therapy

Abstract

The paper describes a case of mandibular osteonecrosis in a patient who has received a radiotherapy cycle for tongue cancer. It deals with estimating the capacities of radiodiagnostic techniques to detect local tissue responses manifesting as radionecrosis after radiotherapy. To assess bone changes, clinical and laboratory examinations and comprehensive radiodiagnosis were made, which could validly evaluate the bone structures and soft tissues, determine the degree of injury, and identify complications. X-ray studies established that when evaluating the bone tissue, multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) were comparable in their diagnostic efficiency; however, MSCT was of greater informative value for the detection of soft tissue changes. CBCT may be successfully used during and after jaw osteonecrosis treatment as a control technique to evaluate its efficiency.

Keywords

• osteonecrosis
• radiation therapy
• multislice computed tomography
• cone-beam computed tomography