A case series of intraosseous hemangioma of the jaws: Various presentations of a rare entity

BACKGROUND: Hemangiomas of the soft tissue are common in the head and neck area, especially in the tongue and in children under ten years of age. Intraosseous hemangiomas of the mandible and maxilla (IHM), on the other hand, are exceedingly rare and are not well characterized. This study presents six IHM cases focusing on the clinical, radiographic, and histologic characteristics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Six cases of IHM were retrieved from the archives of the Biopsy Services at the University of Washington. Clinical, radiologic, and histologic findings are described. RESULTS: A total of six cases of IHM were reviewed. The patient age range was 16 to 65; the group comprised three females and three males. All six cases presented as swellings, two caused tooth resorption, and one was associated with pain and numbness. Three of the six IHM were present in the body of the mandible, two in the area of the extracted right mandibular third molar, and one in the anterior maxilla between the right canine and lateral incisor. Radiographically, five were radiolucent and one was radiopaque. Of the five radiolucent, two were unilocular and three multilocular. The one radiopaque case was exophytic, simulating a large osteoma. Histologic features ranged from cavernous to a mix of venous and arterial types. Follow-up is available for all six cases ranging between one to seven years; only one case recurred within the first year post-surgery. CONCLUSIONS: IHM are exceedingly rare; IHM do not present in a consistent manner both clinically and radiographically. It is therefore important to recognize the wide spectrum of IHM’s clinical, radiographic, and histological presentations. Key words:Hemangioma, Vascular Malformation, mandible, maxilla.