The real importance of learning radiographic signs associated with specific disease is of relevance to clinical examination of the head & neck ; at the same time aiding in differentiating – what is normal from abnormal & hence appropriate treatment can be instituted for such conditions /abnormalities.

Here are the list of few radiographic appearances .

• Antral halo appearance-acute sinusitis
• Ball in hand appearance-sialographic appearance of intrinsic benign tumor
• Balloon like appearance-follicular cyst
• Beaten silver/Copper beaten appearance-Crouzen syndrome,hypophosphatasia,craniofacial dysostosis ,obstructive hydrocephalus
• Bush in winter appearance-normal sialographic appearance of submandibular gland
• Candlestick appearance-Progressive systemic sclerosis,pycnodysostosis
• Cherry blossom/branchless fruit laden tree/snowstorm/punctate sialectasis-sialographic appearance of Sjogren’s syndrome
• Codman’s triangle-osteogenic sarcoma,Ewing sarcoma,carcinoma of alveolar ridge
• Cotton wool appearance-paget’s disease,fibrous dysplasia(thick,amorphous radiopaque stage),cemmento-osseous dysplasia,chronic diffuse sclerosis osteomyelitis
• Crew cut/Hair-on-end appearance-sickle cell anemia,thalassemia

• Driven snow appearance-calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor /cyst(Pindborg tumor)
• Downward bowing appearance-cemento-osseous fibroma,ameloblastoma
• Ely’s cyst-osteoarthritis
• Filling defect appearance-salivary gland tumor
• Floating tooth appearance-squamous cell carcinoma,malignant lymphoma,periodontitis ,eosinophilic granuloma,osteomyelitis

🖋Manisha M.A

Sources:White and Pharoah’s -Oral radiology textbook,Shafer’s textbook of oral pathology (8th edition).Websites-www.dreamstime.com, www.ijournalhs.org,Article-Phore S,Panchal RS,Bhagla P, Nabi N.Dental radiographic signs.Indian j health sci 2015;8:85-90.