Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumour of the Buccal Mucosa in a Child: Case Report and Review of Paediatric Oral Cases

Abstract

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour (IMT) is an uncommon mesenchymal lesion of intermediate biological potential, characterized by a proliferation of myofibroblastic spindle cells accompanied by a prominent inflammatory infiltrate of lymphocytes, plasma cells, and eosinophils [1, 2]. While reported in various anatomical sites, its occurrence in the oral cavity is exceedingly rare. We report a case of IMT in the right buccal mucosa of a 9-year-old female patient with cerebral palsy. The clinical, radiological, and histopathological findings are detailed, underscoring the diagnostic challenges this lesion presents. The case highlights the importance of histopathological confirmation for accurate diagnosis and discusses treatment considerations, emphasizing conservative yet complete surgical excision as the primary management strategy. A review of the relevant literature on paediatric oral IMTs is provided to contextualize this case.