الفهرس 
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Abstract
Viral infection is the most common cause of salivary gland swelling as mumps
which mainly affects the parotid glands. Sialolithiasis is another cause of obstruction of
the salivary duct.
A tumor is another cause of swelling. Around 70% of salivary gland tumors
arise from the parotid glands. Benign lesions represent 57% of these tumors.
Three to 5% of all tumors affecting the head and neck are represented in the
salivary gland.
Ultrasonography is considered a basic diagnostic tool in all salivary gland
swellings.
Our study is to evaluate the role of ultrasound in the evaluation of salivary
glands swellings in comparison with a computed tomography scan.
A total of 80 patients aged more than 1 year old with swellings affecting the
salivary glands were collected from the out-patient clinic.
Patients with previous neck surgery or exposed to radiation or chemotherapy
were excluded from the study
- All patients were subjected to the following:
3) Full history taking.
4) Clinical examinations including:
A) Neck examination.
B) Oropharyngeal examination.
All patients underwent ultrasonography and computed tomography examination
of the neck.
All submandibular gland lesions presented with sialolithiasis (40 cases) (100%),
and 20 cases (50%) of parotid gland swellings presented as inflammation without stone
(16 cases (40%) of acute inflammation and 4 cases (10%) with recurrent inflammation),
hile 4 patients only presented as sialolithiasis. Neoplastic lesions were diagnosed in 16
cases of the parotid gland group.
Stones less than 3mm were detected only by computed tomography in 5 patients
(12.5%) of the submandibular group. Twenty-eight cases (70%) with stones ranged in
size between 3 and 6 mm. Only 11 cases (27.5%) with stones ranged in size more than 6
mm
Of the 16 parotid swellings diagnosed with neoplastic lesions, 14 parotid cases
(87%) showed well-defined margins by computed tomography and ultrasonography.
Sonography is the basic diagnostic tool in salivary glands swellings.
Ultrasonography should be the initial imaging modality as it gives comparable
sensitivity as CT scan in most salivary gland swellings.
Only in special cases, such as a suspicion of stones that could not be detected by
ultrasonography or a neoplastic lesion in a deep location, or behind bones or suspected invasion of the surrounding tissues, computed tomography neck should be performed.