Dental materials and radiology: sunray appearance: practice question

A Dentistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Dentistry · Dental materials and radiology: sunray appearance

Sample item

A teenager has a rapidly enlarging painful jaw swelling. A radiograph shows an ill-defined lesion with spiculated periosteal new bone radiating outward. Which tumour is likely?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma of the jaw can show a sunburst pattern of periosteal new bone with widening of the periodontal ligament space. Treatment involves wide surgical resection and chemotherapy.

Option by option

  • A. Torus mandibularis

    A torus is a benign bony exostosis.

  • B. Osteosarcoma (correct)

    Correct. A sunray periosteal reaction suggests osteosarcoma.

  • C. Fibrous dysplasia

    Fibrous dysplasia shows a ground glass pattern with no periosteal reaction.

  • D. Ameloblastoma

    Ameloblastoma is a multilocular radiolucency without sunray spicules.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is B, Osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma of the jaw can show a sunburst pattern of periosteal new bone with widening of the periodontal ligament space.

Why is "Torus mandibularis" not the answer?

A torus is a benign bony exostosis.

Why is "Fibrous dysplasia" not the answer?

Fibrous dysplasia shows a ground glass pattern with no periosteal reaction.

Why is "Ameloblastoma" not the answer?

Ameloblastoma is a multilocular radiolucency without sunray spicules.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Dental materials and radiology: sunray appearance in Dentistry. Treatment involves wide surgical resection and chemotherapy.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Dental materials and radiology: sunray appearance?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.