A Rare Variant of the Stafne Bone Cavity Localized To the Subcondylar Region of the Mandible: A Case Report With Review of the Literature - A Rare Variant of the Stafne Bone Cavity Localized To the Subcondylar Region of the Mandible: A Case Report With Review of the Literature - Open Access Pub

An anatomical variant of the Stafne bone cavity (SBC) located in the right subcondylar region of the mandible is presented. Such an occurrence of the SBC in this region near the parotid gland is considered rare and poses a diagnostic challenge for the dentist and radiologist. Knowledge of head and neck clinical anatomy and imaging studies such as plain film panoramic radiographs and cone beam CT scans can assist the clinician in arriving at a correct definitive diagnosis without surgical intervention. DOI10.14302/issn.2689-5773.jcdp-19-2611 Stafne bone cavity (SBC) is classically described as an asymptomatic depression or concavity localized on the medial surface of the posterior mandible between the inferior alveolar canal and inferior border.1It is considered a pseudocyst as the lesion does not have an epithelial lining. Although the exact morphogenesis is not known, it is hypothesized that during embryological development of the mandible from Meckel’s cartilage, the submandibular gland tissue is entrapped that leads to an osseous concavity on the medial surface of the mandible. 1,2 Radiographic features (Figure 1) of the SBC are a well-circumscribed unilocular, round or elliptical shaped radiolucency in the posterior mandible that are approximately 10 to 30mm in length. 1,3,4The radiographic lesion is often incidentally discovered when the patient completes a routine panoramic radiograph at the dentist office and does create concern for the dentist as it can mimic a cystic lesion.3,5,6 Figure 1. Panoramic radiograph of classically described SBC of the right posterior mandible illustrates the well-defined unilocular radiolucency in the right posterior mandible between the inferior alveolar canal and the inferior border of the mandible (arrows). As patients are asymptomatic, the SBC can be difficult to diagnosis when the lesion is localized to a different anatomic part of the mandible. Although the most common location is the medial surface of the posterior mandible in the region of the submandibular gland fossa,1,3,4Philipsen et al (2002) described four variants of the SBC based on anatomic location of the mandible. The most common location is the medial surface of the posterior mandible from the first molar to the angle. Less common occurrences are on the medial and lateral surfaces of the ramus of the mandible. An atypical location of the radiolucent bone lesion other than the posterior mandible on a panoramic radiograph can raise concern and present a diagnostic challenge to the dentist or even the radiologist regarding osseous pathology. The