The feasibility of cone beam computed tomographic sialography in the diagnosis of space-occupying lesions: report of 3 cases

Three-dimensional cone-beam CT sialography in non tumour salivary pathologies: procedure and results

OBJECTIVES

Non-tumour salivary diseases are common. Imaging studies are essential for their diagnosis and before undergoing an endoscopic or surgical treatment. In this study, we aimed at presenting our procedure and results obtained with three-dimensional CBCT (3D-CBCT) sialography for non-tumour salivary gland diseases.

METHODS

Patients with parotid or submandibular salivary symptoms were examined by 3D-CBCT sialography. They received an intraductal injection of 0.5 mL of water-soluble contrast medium maintained in the gland, followed by examination in a NewTom wide-field CBCT device. Images were processed with multiplanar and 3D reconstructions.

RESULTS

A ductal exploration could be performed until the fourth divisions. The main lesions found were stones, stenosis, dilatations and "dead tree" appearance of the ductal system. No side effects of the catheterization or the iodine contrast were reported, nor tissue damages related to the contrast keeping technique.

CONCLUSIONS

3D-CBCT sialography seems to represent a reliable non-invasive diagnostic tool for ductal salivary diseases. More studies are needed to assess the value of 3D-CBCT sialography compared with conventional imaging.

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) sialography--an adjunct to salivary gland ultrasonography in the evaluation of recurrent salivary gland swelling

OBJECTIVE

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) sialography could help improve the visualization of the ductal system of salivary glands. The aim of this retrospective investigation was to monitor the use of CBCT sialography for the diagnosis of pathologies within the intraglandular ductal system when ultrasonography was inconclusive.

STUDY DESIGN

Fourteen consecutive patients suffering from recurrent swelling of a major salivary gland were evaluated. In 12 patients (8 female; 4 male; average age 46 years), a radiopaque contrast agent could be injected into the ductal system, followed by a routine CBCT. Four blinded examiners evaluated the acquired data sets retrospectively.

RESULTS

CBCT revealed seven stenosis, two salivary stones, one complete duct atresia, one intraglandular duct ectasia, and one regular duct system. Three of the detected pathologies were strictly intraglandular.

CONCLUSIONS

CBCT sialography shows promise as a supplementary noninvasive diagnostic tool for the visualization of the intraglandular ductal system of the major human salivary glands. Controlled studies to further validate this method should be undertaken.