O propósito desse estudo foi investigar os aspectos histopatológicos de cistos radiculares diagnosticados em uma população brasileira. Setenta e três casos de cistos radiculares entre 1480 biópsias diagnosticadas na Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal da Bahia, entre 2001 e 2008, foram investigados, considerando os seus aspectos histopatológicos. Os resultados morfológicos mostraram que os achados mais comuns foram a exocitose (n=50), espongiose (n=40), acantose (n=28), epitélio atrófico (n=27) e células apoptóticas (n=21). Outros achados encontrados incluíram macrófagos espumosos (n=10), corpúsculos de Russell (n=7), imagens negativas de colesterol (n=7) e restos epiteliais odontogênicos semelhantes à tecido glandular (n=1). Material exógeno foi observado em 16 casos. Concluiu-se que os aspectos histopatológicos e clínicos observados foram comparáveis a outros descritos em outras populações.The aim of this study was to investigate the histopathological features of radicular cysts (RCs) diagnosed in a Brazilian population. Seventy-three cases of RCs, from a total of 1480 biopsies diagnosed between 2001 and 2008 at the Laboratory of Oral Surgical Pathology of the Dental School of the Federal University of Bahia were investigated regarding their histopathological features. Morphological results showed that exocytosis (n=50), spongiosis (n=40), acanthosis (n=28), atrophic epithelium (n=27) and apoptotic bodies (n=21) were the most common findings. Other morphological findings included: foamy macrophages (n=10), Russell’s bodies (n=7), cholesterol crystals (n=7) and glandular-like odontogenic epithelial rests (n=1). Evidence of exogenous material was seen in 16 samples. It was concluded that the clinical and histopathological findings observed in Brazilian patients were comparable with those described for other populations.