Diagnosis and treatment of accessory parotid gland masses

Accessory parotid glands are true parotid tissue lying distinctly separate from the parotid gland proper. They lie along and drain into Stensen's duct. Although literature describing the accessory parotid gland is limited, its anatomy and pathology have been described. Controversies exist in the literature regarding the diagnosis and management of pathological changes seen in these glands. We have found magnetic resonance imaging to be extremely helpful in their diagnosis and treatment. A review of the literature and an illustrative example are presented.