Incidental finding on the panoramic radiograph during dental examination: osteochondroma of cervical vertebrae

Abstract

This report presents a case of an upper cervical osteochondroma incidentally detected on routine dental panoramic radiography. A 43-year-old woman presented with bilateral pain in the posterior teeth of both jaws. Panoramic radiography was obtained for routine dental and radiographic evaluation. The image showed a large, well-defined radiopaque mass superimposed over the posterior aspect of the left mandibular ramus and condylar region. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) performed the following day demonstrated a well-defined, lobulated osseous mass in the left upper cervical region at the C1/C1–C2 level, located posteromedial to the left mandibular ramus and measuring approximately 31.5 × 28.1 × 21.9 mm. Cortical and medullary continuity with the parent bone could not be clearly demonstrated; the radiographic differential diagnosis included osteochondroma and osteoma. Additional computed tomography (CT)/CT angiography examinations demonstrated compression and anterior displacement of the left internal carotid artery, mild compression of the left vertebral artery, and narrowing of the adjacent neural foramen. Because of these anatomical relationships, complete surgical excision was performed in June 2020. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of osteochondroma. Serial cervical magnetic resonance imaging through 2024 showed no residual or recurrent disease. This case emphasizes that dental radiographic examinations should include careful evaluation not only of the teeth and related structures but also of all head and neck structures within the imaging field.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. BMC Oral Health, 2026 · DOI ↗