This paper proposes a corpus-based methodology to study the potential introduction of new conceptual metaphors through metaphor translation in specialized texts. The method used is based on a two-step procedure. First, it compares the level of lexicalization and creativity of metaphorical expressions in translated and untranslated texts: this shows that, when compared with native texts, translations use a greater number of metaphorical expressions, with a limited lexical variety associated with the high number of repetitions (see the simplification hypothesis, Laviosa, 1998). Moreover, translations display a higher creativity index, due to the use of unidiomatic expressions (atypical collocations, Mauranen, 2007) often created by the literal translation of metaphors with shining-through effects (Teich, 2003). The second step is an analysis of conceptual domains underlying creative metaphorical expressions (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980): results show that linguistic creativity observed in translations relies on conventional and consolidated metaphorical concepts. The final discussion illustrates the limits imposed by the reduced size of the corpus used, while reflecting on the capacity of translations to introduce lexical innovations that, however, do not contradict accepted and shared conventional metaphorical paradigms.