Stafne Bone Cavity
Pronunciation: STAF-nee
A developmental bone concavity on the lingual surface of the posterior mandible caused by a submandibular salivary gland inclusion, presenting radiographically as a well-defined, corticated, unilocular radiolucency below the mandibular canal.
Full Definition
The Stafne bone cavity (also known as the lingual mandibular salivary gland depression or static bone cavity) is a normal anatomical variant, not a true cyst or tumour. It results from pressure remodelling of the mandible by an accessory lobe of the submandibular gland and is almost always located between the mandibular first molar and the angle of the mandible, inferior to the inferior alveolar canal. Radiographically, the lesion is a round or oval, well-corticated, unilocular radiolucency with a sclerotic border. Its characteristic location below the mandibular canal is the key diagnostic feature distinguishing it from cysts or tumours. Editors of dental radiology reports must ensure this finding is correctly named and not described as a pathological lesion; misidentification could prompt unnecessary surgery.
Usage
Usage note: Note that 'Stafne's bone cyst' is a misnomer (it is not a cyst); prefer 'Stafne bone cavity' or 'Stafne bone depression' in contemporary reports. Possessive eponym form ('Stafne's') is acceptable but the non-possessive form is increasingly preferred per modern eponym conventions.
In Context
- "The well-corticated radiolucency below the inferior alveolar canal in the right posterior mandible was consistent with a Stafne bone cavity and required no further investigation." — Panoramic radiograph report
- "The original report used the outdated term 'Stafne's bone cyst'; the editor amended this to 'Stafne bone cavity' to reflect contemporary nomenclature." — Dental radiology report revision