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Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain is frequently performed on patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), to detect and follow-up intracranial findings. In addition, NF1-related pathologies can appear in the jaws. This case study investigates if it is advantageous to assess the depicted parts of the jaws in the imaging of NF1 patients with intracranial findings, thereby detecting jaw pathologies in their initial stages. Case presentation: We report on the 3-year management with clinical and radiological follow-ups of a central giant cell granuloma and a neurofibroma in the mandible of a patient with NF1 who underwent examinations with brain MRIs. A review of the mandible in the patient’s MRIs disclosed lesions with clear differences in progression rates. Conclusion: NF1-related jaw pathologies may be detected in the early stages if the depicted parts of the jaws are included in the assessment of the imaging of NF1 patients with intracranial findings. This could impact the treatment of eventual pathologies before lesion progression and further damage to the vicinity.

Giant cell lesions of the maxillofacial region constitute a diverse group of lesions, which frequently affect the lower jaw, and are commonly detected at younger ages, in the second and third decades of life. They can be categorized as aggressive or non-aggressive lesions, mainly based on clinical behavior. Management is most commonly through surgical intervention. However, many patients consider surgery to be unfavorable due to the sacrifice of surrounding anatomic structures, potentially necessitating reconstruction procedures. Therefore, alternative modalities of conservative therapy have emerged. One method of alternative management is intralesional corticosteroid injections, which have been described with promising results. Here we report our experience with the treatment of a 56-year-old female patient, in whom a non-aggressive giant cell lesion was managed using intralesional steroid injections. This treatment resulted in total regression according to radiographic examinations.