Imaging findings of orofacial cysticercosis: report of 5 cases with review of literature

Cysticercosis, a fatal disease of parasitic aetiology seen in humans, is caused by ingestion of larvae of Taenia solium in form of raw or poorly cooked pork. Commonly seen in developing countries, it affects the brain, muscle, lungs, heart and liver and is rarely found in the maxillofacial region. Sometimes, the only evidence of cysticercosis could be the cystic swellings or nodules in the maxillofacial region. Such solitary clinical presentation can be diagnosed early with the aid of ultrasound (USG) and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here, we present 5 cases of intramuscular cysticercosis of Orofacial region which were initially diagnosed on ultrasonography and later confirmed by MRI and aspiration cytology. We have conducted a systematic review of PubMed Literature for Intramuscular cysticercosis of orofacial region and highlighted key imaging findings from 18 cases retrieved. Through this case series, we highlight the USG and MRI imaging features of intramuscular cysticercosis which are characteristic and diagnostic of the condition.