Publication:

A rare exophytic juvenile ossifying fibroma mimicking an extraosseous lesion: a diagnostic challenge

Juvenile ossifying fibroma (JOF) is a rare fibro-osseous lesion that predominantly affects children and adolescents and may present a diagnostic challenge due to its variable clinical and radiologic features. We report a rare case of a 9-year-old boy with an atypical presentation of JOF in the mandible, clinically mimicking an extraosseous lesion. Conventional imaging was inconclusive, whereas CT demonstrated a well-defined exophytic lesion with a hypodense centre and hyperdense peripheral margin. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of JOF. This case underscores the diagnostic difficulty associated with this underreported and unusual presentation.