Assessment of computerized tomography density patterns of ameloblastomas and keratocystic odontogenic tumors

The aim of this study was to evaluate computerized tomography (CT) density patterns of solid ameloblastomas (SA), unicystic ameloblastomas (UA), and sporadic and multiple keratocystic odontogenic tumors (SK and MK, respectively). A region of interest (ROI) was delimited corresponding to almost the entire lesional area on each axial slice of 25 CT exams. For each ROI, CT values (HUROI) and heterogeneity (HTGROI) were recorded and compared among lesion groups as well as among central and peripheral slices of the same lesion. The average HUROI were: SA 35.9 ± 12.6; UA 31.0 ± 6.0; SK 28.4 ± 10.5; and MK 30.5 ± 20.6. SK and MK had the lowest CT values and highest heterogeneity. SA and UA did not show statistical difference for HUROI. However, SA had greater HTGROI values. SA presented a different pattern when the central slices were compared with the peripheral slices. HUROI was higher, whereas HTGROI was lower, among the central slices of SA.