Demyelinating hypertrophic inferior alveolar nerve mimicking a nerve tumor

Abstract

We herein report a patient with demyelinating inferior alveolar nerve hypertrophy, which was initially suspected to have a nerve tumor. A 39-year-old woman with childhood-onset polyneuropathy presented with tooth pain and visited a dental clinic. An X-ray examination of the mandible revealed enlargement of the mandibular canal, and a nerve tumor was suspected. CT scan and MRI showed hypertrophy of the inferior alveolar nerve along its entire length. We diagnosed the patient with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), which was supported by the spontaneous recovery reported in her childhood, the results from a nerve conduction study and MRI data. CIDP should be considered in the differential diagnosis of mandibular canal enlargement.