Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026
Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Salivary Glands for Sjogren's Syndrome: Diagnostic and Monitoring Insights
Published on: October 13, 2023
Sonoelastographic qualitative analysis for management of salivary gland masses
Hasan Yerli1, Erkan Eski, Ekrem Korucuk
1Department of Radiology, Baskent University Zubeyde Hanim, Practice and Research Center, 6371 Sk, 34 Bostanli, Karsıyaka 35590 Izmir, Turkey. hasanyerli@yahoo.com
Objectives:
Our aim was to investigate whether the use of a qualitative elasticity scoring method by sonoelastography is beneficial for management of salivary gland masses.
Methods:
Thirty-six patients with salivary gland masses (30 parotid and 6 sub-mandibular) were prospectively included in this study. For each lesion, B-mode sonographic and sonoelastographic images were obtained. Elasticity scores were determined by a 4-point scoring method. Differences among scores for benign and malignant masses were assessed by the Mann-Whitney U test. Qualitative variables were compared by the Pearson χ² test. The findings were compared with histopathologic diagnoses.
Results:
The score values of 28 benign masses ranged from 1 to 4, whereas the values of 8 malignant masses ranged from 2 to 4. The mean scores ± SD were 2.25 ± 0.92 for benign lesions and 3.0 ± 0.75 for malignant lesions (P < .05). When we considered scores 1 and 2 as benign and scores 3 and 4 as malignant, 10 false-positive results were determined by the 4-point scoring method, and 64.2% of benign masses were diagnosed.
Conclusions:
Sonoelastography might be regarded as another sonographic parameter for management of salivary gland masses in terms of detecting benign masses.
