The value of computed tomography of the facial skeleton in osteopetrosis

Osteopetrosis is a polymorphic hereditary disease characterized by a defect in bone resorption. Bone becomes sclerotic, dense but fragile. We report 3 cases of osteopetrosis: one autosomal recessive form and two autosomal dominant forms. In this study, we present the clinical and radiological pictures, essentially CT scans, with emphasis on the elements of the positive diagnosis and the complications encountered.The positive diagnosis of this disease is essentially clinico radiological. CT scans of the cephalic extremity may show: thickening of the calvaria, calcifications of the basal ganglia, thickening of the facial bones with cortico-medullary dedifferentiation, absence of pneumatization of the facial sinuses. Complications may arise from compression, infection or trauma.Computed tomography of the cephalic extremity in osteopetrosis helps to confirm the positive diagnosis in certain cases, and to identify possible complications.