CT findings of necrotizing sialometaplasia

Granulomatous Diseases Affecting Jaws

The common aspect of all granulomatous diseases is the typical form of chronic inflammatory response with distinct microscopic granulomas that are formed secondary to either definitive etiologic agents, like bacteria, fungal, or parasitic, or due to an unknown etiologic agent, such as trauma, autoimmune, or even neoplastic process. Although they can be histologically distinct, granulomatous diseases demonstrate a variety of clinical features that may not seem to be inflammatory. Two types of granulomas are typically encountered: foreign body granulomas and immune granulomas. The differences between the two types of granulomas lie in the pathogenesis.

Imaging findings of necrotizing sialometaplasia of the parotid gland: case report and literature review

Although necrotizing sialometaplasia (NS) of the parotid gland is rare and occasionally presents as a lesion that mimics a malignant tumour, imaging findings in cases of NS have been rarely reported. We describe here a case of NS in which there was an increasing lesion manifesting overnight on the parotid gland in an 83-year-old male. We also investigated the use of pre-operative imaging based on previous reports and discuss the importance of these images in helping to guard against overzealous treatment. It is critically important to closely examine whether there are aspects of NS, such as the present case, in pre-operative MRI findings that can be useful in proper diagnosis and treatment.