Sunray appearance on X-ray may be seen in: September 2008, March 2013 (c)

Ans. C: Osteosarcoma In radiographic terms,'sunray' or 'sunburst', or 'spicule', are used for periosteal new bone formation in which new bone is formed perpendicular to the coex resulting in multiple lines like sunrays. This event could occur when the periosteum is rapidly stripped from the coex. It is believed that a variety of substances that contact the inner surface of the exposed periosteum can cause new bone formation. These substances include inflammatory products from infection, blood from trauma, granulomatous reactions or neoplasms. Although the sunray pattern is highly suggestive of osteosarcoma and chrondrosarcoma, other jaw lesions sometimes show this feature, such as hemangioma, complex odontoma odontogenic myxoma, benign cementoblastoma and multiple myeloma.