other imaging modalities 1 Flashcards
what are the major salivary glands
3 pairs - parotid, sublingual, submandibular
parotid salivary gland
pair
largest,
Duct orifice in buccal mucosa adj to 1st and 6nd premolar
2 lobes - superficial close to skin, deep arund ramus - not on US but will to deep
submandibular salivary gland
location
inferior to manidbular and submandibular fossa
see in OPT
sublingual salivary gland
pair
smallest
under tongue, either side of intrinsic and extrinsic muslces of tongue
3 main reasons why image salivary glands
obstruction
dry mouth
swelling
obstruction of salivary gland can be due to
3
mucous plugs - parotid more likely to get mucous plugs (but serous secretions)
salivary stones (sialoiths)
neoplasia
why is ultrasound good for salivary glands
3
Glands are superficially positioned
* Just under subcutaneous tissue
* Apart from the deep lobe of the parotid (hidden deep to the ramus
Can assess parenchymal pattern, vascularity, ductal dilatation or neoplastic masses
* pattern of tissues in gland
* Inc vascularity - inflamed signed
* Widening of tube of saliva into mouth - indicates obstruction somewhere in duct
Can give a sialogogue (ie citric acid) to aid saliva flow
* Will allow better visualisation of dilated ducts
* Stimulates saliva, makes US images better – dilate tubes
imaging used for saliva gland assessment
ultrasound
ultrasound can look for what 4 characteristics of saliva gland tissue
parenchymal pattern
vascularity
ductal dilation
neoplastic massess
pattern of tissues in gland
* Inc vascularity - inflamed signed
* Widening of tube of saliva into mouth - indicates obstruction somewhere in duct
e.g. sialogogue
citric acid
role of silaogogue
aid saliva flow
will allow better visulisation of dilatred ducts
what is Ultrasound
No ionising radiation good
High frequency sound waves – Frequency that cannot be heard audibly
Sound waves have short wave length which are not transmittable through air
* Require coupling agent to help sound waves get into tissues
* Cannot transmit through air
describe anatomy seen in US of sublingual gland
Skin surface at top
Deeper in pt, work down screen
White horizontal lines - subcutaneous fat
Dark oval shaped on both side - ant bellies of digastric
Horseshow - mylohyoid
Ext tongue muscle in middle
Sublingual either side
US flips coronal view of pt
what is this ultrasound of?
Left submandibular glands
Subcutaneous fat above the light shade of grey glands
Dark area is facial artery - red
Mylohyoid then hyoglossus below
Duct leaves where blue line is and goes under mylo above hyo has a bend -where stones usually are
what is this?
ultrasound of right Superficial lobe of parotid - blue
Yellow - angle and ramus of mandible, sound waves stopped by them - hence cannot see deep lobe
Red lines - right masseter muscle
Accessory tissue pass over parotid to buccal fat pad - over masseter - need to cover all to ensure nothing missed
image protocol for salivary gland obstruction
3
ultrasound
plain film (e.g. mandibular true occlusal for submandibular stone)
sialography
Start with plain film and then move to US if plain film negative if on clinic and no access
US first as no ionsiation
salivary gland obstruction symptoms
6
“Meal time symptoms”
* Anytime thinking or eating – get pressure and pain over salivary gland
Prandial swelling and pain
“rush of saliva into the mouth”
Bad taste salty
Thick saliva
Dry mouth
aetiology of salivary gland obstruction
Sialolith or mucous plug
80% sialoliths (stone) associated with the submandibular gland
* Rest are typically mucous plugs in parotid
80% of submandibular stones are radiopaque
gland appearance on US
hypoecoic (darker)
stone appearance on US
hyperecoic
white/brighter
describe this ultrasound
Heterogenous appearance - mixed density parenchyma, looks chords compared to healthy gland
Dark area in gland - ductal dilation, likely due to stone
Follow into FOM to see if there is obstruction
* Check full ductal structure - likely more than one stone if have one
describe these US of right parotid
Stone iteself - Hyperechoic; Lobulated irregular surface
Calcified - sound waves cannot penetrate - get posterior shadowing
Position can make it not able to be removed, without removing gland
Far left - See calcified flecks with dark surrounding – can tell it is calcified and in gland itself despite being small