J Oral Maxillofac Surg 49:659. 1991

Radiographic Technique for Preoperative Diagnosis of Plunging Ranula TORU TAKIMOTO,

MD*

An intraoral ranula is usually recognizable by its characteristic location and appearance. A variant of ranula that appears as a swelling in the hyoidinframylohyoid region is classified as the plunging or cervical ranula.‘v2 Because most plunging ranulas either are accompanied by swelling in the floor of the mouth, or are associated with a history of treatment for intraoral ranula, it is not difficult to diagnose such lesions. On the other hand, it is difficult to make a preoperative diagnosis of plunging ranula

FIGURE 2. Radiograph of patient with intraoral ranula showing radiopaque medium localized in the sublingual space.

when there is no clinically evident oral connection. This report describes a method by which plunging ranula with no clinically apparant intraoral component can be readily diagnosed preoperatively with plain radiographs after injection of a radiopaque medium into the sublingual space. Technique Radiographs of the submandibular region are taken after injecting 0.5 mL of radiopaque medium (Lipiodol Ultra-Fluid, Kodama, Tokyo, Japan) into the sublingual space. If the medium extends into the neck on the radiograph (Fig I), it indicates a plunging ranula. The medium in a patient with a intraoral ranula will remain in the sublingual space (Fig 2).

FIGURE I. Radiograph of a patient with plunging ranula showing the radiopaque medium extending to the neck after injection into the sublingual space. * Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology. School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Takimoto: Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University. 13-I Takaramachi, Kanazawa 920, Japan. 01991 geons

American

Association

of Oral and Maxillofacial

References 1. Batsakis JG, McClatchey KD: Cervical ranula. Ann Otol Rhino1 Laryngol 97562, 1988 2. Crile G: Ranula with extension into the neck (so-called plunging ranula). Surgery 42:819, 1957

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Radiographic technique for preoperative diagnosis of plunging ranula.

J Oral Maxillofac Surg 49:659. 1991 Radiographic Technique for Preoperative Diagnosis of Plunging Ranula TORU TAKIMOTO, MD* An intraoral ranula is...
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