Background Central giant cell granulomas are benign tumours of the mandible, presenting in children and young adults. Divided into non- and aggressive subtypes, the aggressive subtype is relatively rare and can occasionally progress rapidly, resulting in significant morbidity. Case presentation We present a case of an aggressive central giant cell granuloma (CGCG) in a six year-old female. The lesion originated in the right mandibular ramus and progressed rapidly to involve the condyle. Diagnosis was made using a combination of imaging and pathology. A timely en bloc resection of the hemi-mandible was performed with placement of a reconstructive titanium plate and condylar prosthesis. Conclusion Our case demonstrates the importance of considering CGCG in the differential diagnosis of rapidly progressive mandibular lesions in the pediatric population. Prompt diagnosis and management can greatly improve long-term outcomes.

BackgroundCochlear implant (CI) insertion depth can affect residual hearing preservation, tonotopic range coverage, and Mapping. Therefore, determining insertion depth has the potential to maximize CI performance. A post-op skull X-RAY is commonly used to assess insertion depth, however its effectiveness has not been well established. Our primary objective was to assess the accuracy of post-op skull X-RAYs to determine insertion depth, compared to CT as the gold standard. Secondary objectives were to compare experience level of raters and different skull X-RAY views.MethodsThirteen patients with Advanced Bionic HiRes 90 K implants, and post-operative temporal bone CT scans were selected from the CI database at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Medical students, otology fellows, and CI surgeons evaluated insertion depths on post-op skull X-RAYs, while neuroradiologists evaluated CT scans. Descriptive statistics, regression analysis, and paired t-tests were used to compare the two types of imaging.ResultsX-RAYs and CTs provided an equivalent mean insertion depth of 337 degrees (p = 0.93), a mean difference of − 0.9 degrees and a standard deviation of paired differences of 43 degrees. Although means were similar across rater groups, CI surgeons (45 degrees) had the lowest standard deviation of paired differences. Comparing X-RAY views, Caldwell (29 degrees) had less variation than Towne (59 degrees) for standard deviation of paired differences.ConclusionsSkull X-RAYs provide accurate and reliable measurements for CI insertion depth. The Caldwell view alone may be sufficient for evaluations of insertion depth, and experience has a minor impact on the variability of estimates.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s40463-018-0304-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.