Computed tomography and ultrasonography in submandibular tumours

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Oncology
• Head and Neck Surgery

Background:

• Submandibular tumours require accurate imaging for diagnosis and staging.
• Computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound (US) are commonly used modalities.
• Differentiating benign from malignant submandibular masses is crucial for treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of CT and US in assessing submandibular tumours.
• To compare the effectiveness of plain CT (PCT), CT sialography (CTS), and contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) versus US.
• To determine the optimal imaging approach for submandibular tumours.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 35 patients with submandibular tumours (23 benign, 12 malignant).
• Imaging techniques included PCT, CTS, CECT, and US.
• Correlation of imaging findings with histopathological diagnoses.

Main Results:

• PCT poorly delineated 78% of lesions due to density similarities.
• US, CTS, and CECT effectively identified tumours as low-echogenic/density masses.
• Benign tumours showed well-defined borders; malignant tumours had irregular borders (11/12 cases).
• CECT excelled in evaluating tumour extent and adjacent structure involvement.
• US demonstrated characteristic features for benign (smooth borders, lobulation in pleomorphic adenomas) and malignant (poorly defined borders) tumours.

Conclusions:

• Ultrasound (US) is the preferred primary imaging modality for submandibular tumours.
• Contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) is superior for assessing tumour extension and lymph node status.
• CT sialography (CTS) may be redundant if US and CECT provide adequate visualization.