Radiology · single question
After a dental extraction, multiple radiopaque spots appear at the extraction site on the panoramic radiograph. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Foreign body (dental material fragments)
- A. ❌ A residual root tip appears as a tooth-root-shaped radiopacity, not multiple spots.
- B. ❌ Calcified lymph nodes appear along lymph node chains in the neck/submandibular region, not directly at the extraction socket.
- C. ✅ Correct. Multiple discrete radiopaque SPOTS at an extraction site most likely represent foreign body — amalgam fragments, bone chips, or other dental material inadvertently displaced during extraction. This is a common incidental finding.
- D. ❌ Healing bone does not appear as discrete radiopaque spots immediately — it shows gradual socket fill over weeks.