Cross-Sectional Imaging Techniques and Normal Anatomy of the Salivary Glands

The salivary glands play an important role in digestion and oral hygiene, and give rise to a variety of benign and malignant pathologies. In suspected pathology, the goal of imaging is to confirm a lesion as being of salivary gland origin, narrow the list of differential considerations, define the extent of disease, and guide further management decisions. This review outlines the function, embryologic development, anatomy, and normal imaging features of the major salivary glands. The article also discusses imaging indications, the general approach to imaging the salivary glands, and the commonly used cross-sectional techniques used for evaluating the salivary gland.