[Functional imaging of submandibular glands: diffusion-weighted echo-planar MRI before and after stimulation]

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Submandibular glands play a crucial role in saliva production.
• Assessing submandibular gland function is important for diagnosing various conditions.
• Non-invasive imaging techniques are needed for functional evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging (DWI-EPI) for visualizing submandibular glands.
• To measure functional changes in submandibular glands using DWI-EPI.
• To assess the impact of oral stimulation on submandibular gland diffusion characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-seven healthy volunteers underwent MRI using a 1.5-T system.
• Diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging (DWI-EPI) sequences were acquired before and 30 seconds after oral lemon juice stimulation.
• Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps were generated, and regions of interest (ROIs) were placed within the submandibular glands for analysis.

Main Results:

• Submandibular glands were successfully visualized in all 27 participants using DWI-EPI.
• The mean ADC of the submandibular glands significantly increased from 1.31 x 10(-3) mm(2)/sec at baseline to 1.41 x 10(-3) mm(2)/sec after stimulation (p < 0.001).
• The observed increase in ADC indicates a significant functional change in the glands post-stimulation.

Conclusions:

• Diffusion-weighted echo-planar MR imaging is a feasible and effective method for visualizing submandibular glands.
• DWI-EPI allows for non-invasive quantification of functional changes in the submandibular gland.
• This technique holds potential for diagnosing and monitoring conditions affecting salivary gland function.