Soft Tissue & Gland Imaging Flashcards
What are the three pairs of major salivary glands in head and neck ?
Parotid.
Submandibular.
Sublingual.
What are patient diagnoses which might indicate imaging of salivary glands ?
Obstruction.
Dry mouth.
Swelling.
What are the three most common obstructive salivary gland diseases ?
Neoplasia.
Mucous plugs.
Salivary stones (sialoliths).
Why is ultrasound good for imaging salivary glands ?
Superficially positioned.
Can assess parenchymal patter, vascularity, ductal dilation or neoplastic masses.
Can give sialogogue to aid saliva flow for visualisation of ductal dilation.
Briefly describe ultrasound imaging.
No ionising radiation.
High frequency sound waves interact with tissues of different densities, bounce back to transducer - varying lengths of time it takes for sound waves to reach back, creates an image.
What is the reason for using coupling agent ?
Allows movement of sound waves into tissues e.g. Ultrasound gel.
What is the imaging protocol for salivary gland obstruction ?
- Ultrasound.
- Plain film (mandibular true occlusal).
- Sialography.
What are the symptoms of obstructive salivary gland disease ?
Prandial swelling and pain (i.e. at mealtimes).
Rush of saliva into mouth.
Bad taste.
Thick saliva.
Dry mouth (with no other signs of Sjogren’s).
What gland is most commonly affected by sialoliths ?
Submandibular (80%).
What % of salivary stones are radiopaque ?
80%
Briefly describe what sialography is.
Injection of iodinated radiographic contrast into salivary duct to look for obstruction (1-1.5ml through catheter).
What are the indications for sialography ?
Obstruction or stricture of salivary duct.
Planning for interventional procedures i.e. basket retrieval.
What are the risks of sialography ?
Pain.
Swelling.
Infection.
Allergy to contrast.
Where is the parotid gland orifice ?
Buccal mucosa adjacent to upper 6 and 7.
Where is the sublingual orifice ?
Lingual papilla in floor of the mouth at midline.