Abstract
Sixteen patients with parotid gland tumors and 3 patients with submandibular gland tumors were evaluated by CT sialography. The 19 patients were 5 to 78 years old, mean age : 57. 3 years. CT sialography was performed preoperatively, and postoperative histological examination indicated that the tumors were benign in 13, a cyst in 1, malignant tumors in 4, and a malignant lymphoma in 1 patients. The tumorous lesion detection rate by CT sialography was 100%. The major duct was visualized in all pati-ents, and the examination was informative about the special relationship between the tumor and the facial nerve. No sign of malignancy was noted in an epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma of 10 mm in diameter on CT sialography. In 2 patients adhesion to surrounding tissues observed intraoperatively was judged to be benign tumors by CT sialocaphy. The marcginal morphology of the tumor and the presence or absence of low density areas and punctate leakage in the interior of the tumor were useful for the judgment of malignancy of salivary gland tumors.
CT sialography, which provides diverse information on the location and morphology of the tumor, should be performed early for the diagnosis of salivary gland tumors.
