[Progress and analysis methods of clinical application of extracellular vesicles]

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small vesicles released by cells, which contain proteins and miRNA. It is a new research field in recent years. EVs change accordingly in a variety of diseases. These vesicles can sensitively reflect the pathological changes of the body. Compared with tissue biopsy, EVs detection have the advantages of non-invasive, simple sampling and real-time monitoring. EVs are becoming new diagnostic marker. This article reviews the current status and progress of EVs in clinical application.

[Synovial chondromatosis in the temporomandibular joint: analysis of 5 cases]

Five patients with synovial chondromatosis in the temporomandibular joint were treated in our hospital between August, 2011 and August, 2014. All the patients underwent preoperative imaging examinations for clinical diagnosis and determining the involvement of the lesions. Surgeries were performed and the lesions were confirmed as synovial chondromatosis by pathological diagnosis. The clinical manifestations, imaging features, diagnosis and treatment results were analyzed. All the 5 patients had pain in the joint region, 3 had limited mouth opening, and 3 had swelling in the joint region. X-ray film showed widening of the joint space in all the 5 cases and radiographic findings showed space-occupying lesions in the intra-articular space. Open joint surgeries was performed and completed successfully in all the cases. The postoperative imaging showed no residual lesions in the surgical area. As a rare clinical entity, synovial chondromatosis in the temporomandibular joint was poorly documented without specific clinical manifestations. The diagnosis of synovial chondromatosis relies on imaging, arthroscopic and pathological findings. Corpus liberum is an important feature of the disease occurring frequently in the joint cavity. Surgical intervention is the primary choice for treatment of synovial chondromatosis in the temporomandibular joint, in which the corpus liberum and the affected synovial membrane shall be removed after joint incision.

[Cone-beam CT features of ameloblastomas]

OBJECTIVE

To summarize and analyze the cone-beam CT (CBCT) imaging features of ameloblastomas for clinical preoperative diagnosis.

METHODS

Thirty-seven cases with complete data proven by pathology were retrospectively studied for distinct CBCT features.

RESULTS

Of the 37 cases, 31 were primary and 6 were recurrent. On CBCT images, the 37 cases were composed of 36 cases (97.3%) of intraosseous lesions (17 cases of multilocular lesions, 17 cases of unilocular lesions, and 2 cases of honeycomb lesion) and 1 case (2.7%) of extraosseous lesion (soft tissue lesion). Of the 17 multilocular cases, 15 (88.2%) showed tongue-shaped crests in lesions. Thirty-four cases (94.4%) showed apparent expansible change toward lip/buccal and (or) palatal/lingual sides ofjaw, with partialcortical erosion.

CONCLUSION

CBCT imaging yields accurate three-dimensional images of lesion shape and structure. Therefore, CBCT can be usedfor the clinical diagnosis and surgical assessment of ameloblastoma.