Morphometric discrimination between syndromic (Gorlin) and nonsyndromic keratocysts.

OBJECTIVE: To search for morphologic nuclear features in the epithelial lining of odontogenic keratocysts to differentiate simple from Gorlin syndrome cysts. STUDY DESIGN: Five cases of syndrome-associated keratocysts and five of simple ones were studied. Thirty nuclei from the epithelial basal layer for each case were analyzed by the shape analytical morphometry (SAM) software system to quantitatively evaluate nuclear dimensions (area, perimeter, diameter), contour irregularities and nuclear shape asymmetries. Results were subjected to Student's t test and cluster analysis. RESULTS: Values of nuclear dimensions were very close in both groups of keratocysts, without any significant statistical differences. The variables related to nuclear profile irregularities, as well as those describing nuclear asymmetry, showed significantly higher values (P < .001) in syndromic cysts. Cluster analysis produced two different clusters by using variables related to nuclear contour irregularities. CONCLUSION: Preliminary results indicate the existence of nuclear morphologic differences between simple and syndromic cysts.