Pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland

A retrospective analysis of the CT (n = 18) and MR (n = 4) examinations was performed in 21 patients with a histologically proven pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland. This group included 15 primary pleomorphic adenomas, 5 tumor recurrences and one carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma. There was a clear female predominance (15/21). On CT, pleomorphic adenoma usually presented as a well defined, round or oval-shaped tumor in the superficial part of the parotid gland, round or oval-shaped tumor in the superficial part of the parotid gland, showing an inhomogeneous captation pattern on contrast enhanced CT. CT sialography offered no complementary information. Although not specific for pleomorphic adenoma, the hyperintense appearance on spin-echo (SE) T2-weighted MRI was helpful in the detection of tumor masses, more specifically small recurrent tumor nodules.