[CT tomography of normal parotid and mandibular salivary glands]

Computed tomography (CT) allows the differentiation of tissues by measurement of their roentgenologic densities. There are a few controversial literature data on the roentgenologic densities of the parotid and submandibular glands. These differences are, in our opinion, due to several factors: 1. The complex anatomic structure of the facial region of the skull, that demands an exact centering. In daily practice the respective imaging parameters are not always kept constant (including partial volume effects), thus introducing density errors. 2. Metallic prostheses and obturators as well as the high-density bones of the facial skull cause artefacts that impair image quality and density measurements. 3. The small density differences between the salivary glands and the adjacent soft tissues makes their differentiation difficult. 4. Different devices and parameters are used for scanning, resulting in different densities. Considering these facts, we have devised a complex method for the investigation of the parotid and mandibular salivary glands.