Tooth, Odontoblast - Necrosis

Tooth, Odontoblast - Necrosis in a female F344/N rat from a subchronic study. The odontoblasts lining the dorsal tooth pulp are necrotic (arrow).
Figure 1 of 4

Tooth, Odontoblast - Necrosis in a female F344/N rat from a subchronic study (higher magnification of Figure 1). The odontoblasts lining the dorsal tooth pulp have eosinophilic cytoplasm and pyknotic nuclei (arrow) indicative of necrosis.
Figure 2 of 4

Tooth, Odontoblast - Necrosis in a female F344/N rat from a subchronic study. There are 2 regions with necrotic odontoblasts (arrows).
Figure 3 of 4
comment:
Odontoblast necrosis is characterized by loss of odontoblasts and odontoblasts with highly eosinophilic cytoplasm and shrunken and/or faded nuclei ( Figure 1



recommendation:
Odontoblast necrosis should be diagnosed and graded based on the extent of the lesion. If the odontoblast necrosis is secondary to thrombosis of vessels in the tooth pulp, necrosis should be diagnosed (as opposed to infarct), and the suspected pathogenesis should be thoroughly discussed in the pathology narrative. Associated inflammation should not be diagnosed separately unless it is severe enough to warrant a separate diagnosis. If the inflammation is the primary lesion and the cause of the odontoblast necrosis, the inflammation should be diagnosed, and the pathologist will need to use his or her judgment in determining whether the odontoblast necrosis should also be diagnosed. If the odontoblast necrosis is not diagnosed, it should be described in the pathology narrative.references:
Long PH, Leininger JR. 1999. Teeth. In: Pathology of the Mouse (Maronpot RR, ed). Cache River Press, St Louis, MO, 13-28. Abstract: http://www.cacheriverpress.com/books/pathmouse.htm
Nyska A, Maronpot RR, Long PH, Roycroft JH, Hailey JR, Travlos GS, Ghanayem BI. 1999. Disseminated thrombosis and bone infarction in female rats following inhalation exposure to 2-butoxyethanol. Toxicol Pathol 27:287-294. Abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10356705
Zbinden G, Grimm L. 1985. Thrombosis effects of xenobiotics. Arch Toxicol 8(suppl):131-141. Abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3006632
Web page last updated on: November 17, 2014