Incisive Canal Cyst (Nasopalatine Duct Cyst, NPDC)

Incisive canal cyst also known as nasopalatine duct cysts (NPDC), is a developmental cyst arising from the epithelial remnants of nasopalatine duct, a duct connecting the nasal cavity with anterior maxilla in fetal life. It is considered the most common non-odontogenic cyst of jaw bone.

Often it presents in 4th to 6th decades, with slight male predilection. Patients may be asymptomatic, or can have pain, discharge and swelling often due to infection.

Incisive canal cyst is often >15mm in size, whereas the normal finding of incisive foramen is not expected to cross 6mm in diameter.  These cyst is seen superior to the roots of the maxillary incisors and usually doesn't result in any root resorption, but can sometimes result in displacement of the incisor roots.


Below are MRI images of incidentally detected Incisive canal cyst in a 50 year old male patient. MRI was done for evaluation of headache. T2 weighted sagittal, coronal and axial images shows a hyperintense cystic lesion in the anterior maxilla with mild displacement of the roots of maxillary incisors. Cyst measured 13.3mm in width.

Cyst was isointense to muscle in T1 WI (not shown), and hyperintense in T2 FLAIR images (not shown).

See another case of Incisive Canal Cyst : CT images HERE.