The correlation of histologic features with a panoramic radiography pattern and a computed tomography pattern of bone destruction in carcinoma of the mandibular gingiva

Objective. We sought to clarify the correlation among a computed tomography (CT) or a panoramic radiography (PR) pattern of bone destruction, a histologic pattern of bone destruction, and a mode of invasion in carcinoma of the mandibular gingiva. Study design. CT images, panoramic radiographs, and decalcified, hematoxylin-eosin-stained preparations of the excised mandibular bone of 62 patients with carcinoma of the mandibular gingiva were retrospectively evaluated. Each computed tomograph, panoramic radiograph, and the histologic pattern of bone destruction was classified as 1 of 5 types: erosive, erosive and partly mixed, mixed, mixed and partly invasive, or invasive. The mode of invasion of the tumor was also assessed with a hematoxylin-eosin-stained preparation of the initial biopsy specimen. The relationships among the CT pattern, the PR pattern, the histologic pattern of bone destruction, and the mode of invasion of the tumor were statistically analyzed by using the Spearman rank correlation test. Results. The CT pattern (P = .005) and the PR pattern (P = .003) were significantly correlated with the histologic pattern with respect to the bone destruction. The CT pattern (P = .996), the PR pattern (P = .997), and the histologic pattern (P = .521) of bone destruction were not correlated with the mode of invasion seen in the biopsy specimen. Conclusion. The CT pattern and the PR pattern of bone destruction reflect the histologic pattern of bone destruction caused by carcinoma of the mandibular gingiva but are not associated with the mode of invasion of the tumor.