Fibrous Dysplasia of the Face: Typical Ground Glass Pattern

Clinical Image Fibrous dysplasia of the face is a rare benign bone condition caused by the replacement of normal bone tissue by fibrous connective or cystic tissue. It can be monostotic or affect multiple bones termed as polyostotic. It is mostly found in adolescents or young adults and is mostly asymptomatic sometimes presenting as a facial asymmetry, but can also be symptomatic causing headaches, dysesthesia of the face, vision troubles, neurosensorial deficit or pain due to pathological fractures. The typical imaging aspect is a bone ground glass pattern, sometimes a cystic and sclerotic and mixed pattern can be seen (Figure 1). Histological diagnosis is only required in case of suspicion of malignancy. Treatment is usually symptomatic made of painkillers. Bisphosphonates can be given for mild to severe pain. Surgical treatment may be required for aesthetic reasons or in case of neurosensory deficit [1-3]. Keywords: Face; Bone; Imaging; Tumor; Benig