Utility of (99m)Tc RBC Scintigraphy in Diagnosing Parotid Venous Malformations

Venous malformations of the parotid glands are uncommon and can be difficult to confirm on routine anatomical imaging alone because of overlap of imaging features with other more common parotid lesions. (99m)Tc RBC scans combined with SPECT/CT offer a noninvasive way to diagnose parotid venous malformations without the need for biopsy. Combined with anatomical findings of phleboliths (when present), the diagnosis can be reliably determined. We present a case where MRI and biopsy were inconclusive, but the SPECT/CT was used to confirm the suspicion of a benign venous malformation.