Basal cell adenomas of the parotid gland: CT scan features

Basal cell adenoma (BCA) is a rare tumor of the parotid gland, and except for a few case reports, the imaging features of this pathological entity are not well described. We describe the computed tomography (CT) features of 14 cases of histologically proven BCA, the largest series to date. In all cases, the tumor appeared as a round or oval, sharply marginated mass. Three cases showed homogenous enhancement. In the other 11 cases, the enhancement was inhomogeneous, due to either cystic areas, linear bands or stellate-shaped areas of non-enhancement. The latter two patterns have not been previously described in BCA or other parotid tumors, and may therefore aid in distinguishing BCA from other benign parotid neoplasms on CT.