Correlation between collagen fibers and radiographic patterns of keratocystic odontogenic tumour.

BACKGROUND WHO has recently renamed odontogenic keratocyst as keratocystic odontogenic tumour (KCOT) depending on its tumour like behaviour. AIM To quantitate and qualitate different types of collagen fibers in KCOT using picrosirius red stain under polarising microscopy and to correlate with different radiographic patterns of KCOT to elucidate its biological behaviour in order to determine whether all KCOTs behave like a tumour. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixty histopathologically confirmed cases of KCOT were selected and stained histochemically using picrosirius red and examined under polarising microscope to evaluate colour of collagen fibers in the wall. Radiographic analysis of all the cases were also carried out and correlated with type of collagen of fibers. RESULTS Greenish yellow collagen fibers were present statistically significantly more in multilocular KCOT and KCOT with multiple radiolucencies (both syndromic and non-syndromic) as compare to unilocular whereas orange red were significantly more in unilocular variety. Syndromic variety showed significantly higher number of greenish yellow collagen fibers than non-syndromic variety. CONCLUSION Quality, organization and packing of collagen fibers of unilocular type is different than other radiographic patterns which accounts for difference in biological behaviour of these lesion, so we conclude that aggressive treatment should be reserved for selected cases.