Osteoma

Osteoma
Other names: Benign osteogenic tumors, unspecified and osteoma NOS.[1] Not recommended: ivory exostosis, parosteal osteoma, torus palatines/mandibularis[1]
CT scan showing an osteoma growing on inside of skull bone
Specialty	Orthopedics
Symptoms	None, pain, headache[1]
Complications	Pressure symptoms[1]
Usual onset	Slow[1]
Causes	Unknown[1]
Diagnostic method	Medical imaging: X-ray, CT scan, MRI[1]
Treatment	None, surgery[1]
Frequency	Males=Females[1]

Osteoma (plural: "osteomata" or "osteomas"), is a non-cancerous bone tumor, a type osteogenic tumor, where a new piece of bone typically grows on another piece of bone, usually on the skull and near the sinuses.^[1][2] Often there are no symptoms as the tumor grows slowly, but there may be pain, headache, blocked paranasal sinuses or local swelling.^[1] It may present with sinusitis.^[3]

The cause is unknown.^[1] Osteomas are also found in Gardner's syndrome.^[1]

Medical imaging such as X-ray, CT scan and MRI show dense, clearly defined, round white tumors attached to bone.^[1] They can be left alone if not troubling, and surgically cut out if pressure symptoms.^[1] The surgery may be possible through the nose, without making a large cut.^[3]

It affects males and females equally.^[1] How commonly it occurs is not known but some report up to 6.4% may be affected.^[1] Findings of osteomata date back to ancient Egypt (664-332 BCE).^[1]

Signs and symptoms[edit | edit source]

There may be no symptoms or blocked paranasal sinuses or local swelling.^[1] An affected person might therefore present with an infection of the sinuses, headaches or facial pain.^[3]

Often, craniofacial osteoma presents itself through eye signs and symptoms (such as protruding eyes).^[4]

Cause[edit | edit source]

The cause of osteomas is uncertain, but commonly accepted theories propose congenital, traumatic, or infectious causes.^[3] Osteomas are also found in Gardner's syndrome.^[1]

Diagnosis[edit | edit source]

Medical imaging such as X-ray, CT scan and MRI show dense, clearly defined, round white tumors attached to bone.^[1] They may be diagnosed when having medical imaging for another reason.^[3] Osteomas of the paranasal sinuses and skull base can be diagnosed using CT-scan without intravenous contrast, allowing its size and relation to nearby important structures to be assessed.^[3] A biopsy is not usually required.^[3]

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  X-ray skull: Osteoma of the frontal sinus

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  CT-scan skull: Osteoma of the frontal sinus

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  X-ray skull: Osteoma of the frontal sinus

Treatment[edit | edit source]

They can be left alone if not troubling, and surgically cut out if pressure symptoms.^[1]

Epidemiology[edit | edit source]

It most frequently affects the skull and affect males and females equally.^[1] The true prevalence is not known but some reports quote up to 6.4%.^[1]

Osteoma represents the most common non-cancerous tumor of the nose and paranasal sinuses.^[3]

History[edit | edit source]

Findings of osteomata date back to ancient Egypt (664-332 BCE).^[1]

Variants[edit | edit source]

• Osteoma cutis
• Fibro-osteoma
• Chondro-osteoma

See also[edit | edit source]

• Osteosclerosis
• Familial adenomatous polyposis
• Exostosis
• Ganglion cyst

References[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

• Humapth #4724 Archived 2020-12-03 at the Wayback Machine (Pathology images)

Classification	ICD-10: D16 ICD-9-CM: 213.0 ICD-O: 9180/0, 9191/0, 9200/0