The radiologic progression of ameloblastomas

BACKGROUND: In developing countries, many diagnosed cases of ameloblastoma (AB) have a significant delay in receiving treatment because of patient factors and healthcare facility constraints. OBJECTIVES: The radiologic progression of ABs with delayed treatment was analysed using panoramic radiographs and cone-beam computed tomography imaging. METHOD: Histopathologically confirmed cases of AB with follow-up radiographs indicating no treatment were retrospectively reviewed over a study period of 10 years. Fifty-seven cases with 57 initial and 107 follow-up radiographs were included. Each follow-up radiograph was analysed for changes in borders, locularity, effects on surrounding structures and lesion size. RESULTS: There was a general increase in poorly-demarcated lesions, with seven cases transforming from an initial unilocular to a multilocular appearance. At follow-up, there was an increase in cortical thinning and cortical destruction. Ameloblastomas presented with a three-fold increase in average size from the initial to follow-up visits. Regression analysis showed a statistically significant relationship between lesion duration and length (p = 0.001). A statistically significant relationship existed between duration and overall lesion dimensions when only the first and last observations per patient were used (p = 0.044). CONCLUSION: Considering the aggressive nature and unlimited growth potential, ABs with delayed treatment may show extensive growth, complicating their eventual management. CONTRIBUTION: This study aimed to raise awareness of the importance of the timeous management of patients with AB by highlighting the detrimental effects of delayed treatment.