Central mucoepidermoid carcinoma of maxilla with radiographic appearance of mixed radiopaque-radiolucent lesion: a case report

Central mucoepidermoid carcinoma radiographically mimicking an odontogenic tumor: A case report and literature review

Central mucoepidermoid carcinoma (CMC) of the jaw bones is a rare malignant salivary gland tumor of unknown pathogenesis, comprising about 4% of all mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MECs). Most cases are histologically classified as a low-grade tumor and radiographically appear as a well-defined unilocular or multilocular radiolucent lesion. Block resection or wide local excisions are the treatment of choice and patients usually show a good overall prognosis although a long-term follow-up is necessary. This report describes a case of a 28-year-old male with MEC in the posterior region of the mandible and discusses its clinical, radiographic and histopathological findings. Although rare, CMC may be considered a differential diagnosis in cases of proliferative and osteolytic lesions in the oral cavity even when its clinical and/or radiographic findings do not suggest malignancy.

Central mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the maxilla with unusual ground glass appearance and calcifications: A case report

Mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MECs) arising within the jaws as primary central bony lesions are termed central MECs. Central MECs are extremely rare, comprising 2-3% of all mucoepidermoid carcinomas. We herein report a rare case of central MEC of the maxilla in a 52-year-old male whose plain radiographs showed a "ground glass" pattern and computed tomographic images, a hypodense mass with numerous calcifications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of central MEC showing a "ground glass" appearance.

Intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma: report of two cases

Intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma is a rare tumor which affects women more than men and is more common in the mandible. The radiological examination reveals a well-defined unilocular or multilocular radiolucent lesion. This tumor may resemble a glandular odontogenic cyst, particularly in incisional biopsies. The accurate diagnosis of these lesions is imperative because the subsequent treatment of each lesion would be different. The purpose of this study is to report two cases of intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma and explicate the differentiating criteria of this lesion from the glandular odontogenic cyst.