Computed Tomographic findings in Patients with Craniofacial Fibrous Dysplasia: A Case Series

Abstract

Craniofacial Fibrous Dysplasia (CFD) is a rare developmental non inheritable, non neoplastic fibro-osseous disease of the bone, which can be monostotic or polyostotic. The term CFD is used to describe FD where the lesions are confined to contiguous bones of the craniofacial skeleton. This is a case series of 18 patients with features of FD in facial and skull bones on Computed Tomography (CT). CT findings of CFD in relation to lesion location, number, appearance, and gender of the patient were documented. Out of the 18 patients, 10 were males and eight were females. The mean age was 36.4 years with a range of 13 to 77 years. Single bone involvement was seen in 15 patients, and multiple bone involvement was seen in three patients. Among the cases with single bone involvement, the ethmoid bone was involved in the majority of the cases (n=5), while the sphenoid and temporal bones were equally involved in four patients. Two cases showed lesions in the frontal bone. Ground glass attenuation was seen in the majority (n=13) of the cases. Four cases showed mixed attenuation, and sclerosis was seen in one patient. CT is the investigation of choice for craniofacial dysplasia, which can help in the diagnosis and extent of the disease. Apart from diagnosis, CT is helpful in monitoring progression and treatment planning of the disease. CT is the first investigation of choice for craniofacial dysplasia since a plain radiograph of the skull can show a complex appearance due to overlapping structures.