Facial bone scintigraphy. VII. Diagnosis of malignant lesions in the mandible.

Fifty-four patients were examined clinically, radiographically and scintigraphically with respect to mandible bone involvement by oral carcinoma. Sixteen resected mandibular specimens were available for microscopic examination and the results were correlated to the clinical, scintigraphic and radiographic results. Clinical assessment overestimated and radiography underestimated oral carcinoma involvement of the mandible; scintigraphy was more accurate than was clinical assessment or radiography. Combination of clinical examination with both conventional radiography and bone scintigraphy is recommended for optimum diagnosis of mandible bone involvement by oral carcinoma.