[High-resolution real-time sonography in salivary gland diseases. I: Inflammatory diseases]

130 patients with suspected inflammation or tumors of the major salivary glands were examined by high resolution real-time sonography (7 MHz). Characteristic changes of the glandular echomorphology were found in 42 out of 46 cases with acute sialadenitis (91%). These were swelling of the gland, nonhomogenicity of the parenchymal texture and decrease of the glandular echogenicity. Intra- or extraglandular dilatation of the major duct or ductal segments were further findings in obstructive sialadenitis, particularly when associated with sialolithiasis. Ultrasound disclosed salivary stones in 5 of 5 parotid calculi and in 9 of 14 submandibular calculi with no false positive result. High resolution real-time sonography of the salivary glands has proven to be of great diagnostic value in supplementing the clinical findings.