High-frequency ultrasound in parotid gland disease

Parotid gland is involved in many inflammatory and neoplastic conditions. Many a times, it is difficult to ascertain the type of swelling by clinical examination. The anatomy and various abnormalities of the glands are very easily visualized by high-frequency ultrasound. Ultrasound can confirm the presence of the mass with sensitivity up to 100%. It can demonstrate whether a lesion is located in the parotid gland or outside. It can help in differentiating benign from malignant neoplasms and local staging of the mass in malignant lesions. In addition, ultrasound can identify those entities that may not need surgical intervention. The glands appear enlarged and show altered echopattern in acute inflammation and may be normal or reduce in size in chronic inflammation. Other pathologies that involve salivary glands are sialolithiasis and various benign and malignant neoplasms. Ultrasound many times suggests final diagnosis or supplies important differential diagnosis. In this article, the use of high-frequency ultrasound in parotid disease is discussed, and sonographic features of different parotid pathologies are reviewed with examples illustrated. High-frequency ultrasound is the first and many a times the only imaging investigation done for evaluation of parotid glands.