Sonographic assessment of the submandibular space

There is a wide variety of pathological processes which may present with swelling in the submandibular space. Although the submandibular gland is the most important structure in this region, there are a number of extraglandular causes of swelling which frequently mimic submandibular gland enlargement. In this review the use of high-resolution ultrasound in the assessment of the submandibular gland and adjacent structures is discussed and illustrated.