Nasolabial cyst as a diagnostic pitfall in dental imaging: A case report emphasizing multimodality radiologic assessment

Nasolabial cyst represents an uncommon benign extraosseous lesion originating within the soft tissues of the anterior nasal floor and alar base. Owing to its predominantly soft-tissue localization, nasolabial cysts may escape detection on routine dental radiographs, thereby predisposing to delayed diagnosis. A 46-year-old woman presented with slowly progressive fullness in the right nasolabial region. Panoramic radiography showed only subtle, non-specific findings; retrospective review of previous panoramic images revealed similar changes that had been overlooked during earlier dental assessments. Multimodality imaging, including cone-beam computed tomography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging, demonstrated a well-circumscribed, extraosseous cystic lesion anterior to the right piriform aperture with mild pressure-related cortical remodeling and no intraosseous extension or odontogenic pathology. The cyst was removed through a sublabial incision. Histopathology subsequently verified a nasolabial cyst, and no recurrence was detected at the 8-month follow-up. This case underscores the importance of maintaining diagnostic awareness for extraosseous lesions of the nasolabial/alar base region, particularly when patients undergo repeated dental imaging without definitive intraosseous findings. An anatomy-based, multimodality imaging approach facilitates accurate localization and differentiation from mimicking lesions and supports timely surgical management. Extraosseous lesions should be considered when routine dental imaging fails to explain anterior maxillary or nasolabial findings.