The Rare Radiographic Sunburst Appearance of Odontogenic Myxomas: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Head Neck Pathol. 2020 Dec;14(4):1105-1110. doi: 10.1007/s12105-019-01122-1. Epub 2020 Jan 4.

Abstract

Odontogenic myxomas often have a distinctive radiographic presentation described as a "soap bubble", "tennis racket", or "honeycomb" pattern. Less frequently, examples of odontogenic myxomas with a "sunray" or "sunburst" pattern have been reported. Because malignant entities such as osteosarcomas more classically present with a sunray/sunburst appearance, odontogenic myxomas are rarely considered in the radiographic differential diagnosis of a sunburst lesion. The objective of this paper is to report a case of an odontogenic myxoma presenting with a sunburst appearance and to review similar reported cases in the literature. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this additional case of an odontogenic myxoma presenting with a sunburst appearance brings the total number of sunray/sunburst cases reported in the English language literature to 21.

Keywords: Diagnostic imaging; Myxoma; Odontogenic tumor; Radiography; Sunburst; Sunray.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Myxoma / diagnostic imaging*
  • Myxoma / pathology*
  • Odontogenic Tumors / diagnostic imaging*
  • Odontogenic Tumors / pathology*