Pathology · single question
A picture shows a blackish, tattoo-like appearance in the posterior maxillary region that appears very small on X-ray. What is the diagnosis?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Foreign body (amalgam tattoo)
- A. Ecchymosis (bruising) is a hemorrhagic discoloration that resolves over time — not persistent or tattoo-like.
- B. Oral melanoma is a serious pigmented lesion but would not be described as 'very small on X-ray.' Amalgam tattoo is far more common.
- C. An oral nevus is typically raised — it would not appear as a 'tattoo-like' flat lesion whose X-ray visibility differs from clinical appearance.
- D. An amalgam tattoo appears as a flat, gray-to-black, tattoo-like pigmentation on oral mucosa. It appears VERY SMALL or invisible on X-ray unless metallic particles are large enough to scatter radiation. It results from amalgam particles inadvertently implanted in soft tissue during dental procedures.