Diagnosis And Therapy Planing Of Parotid Gland Masses With Imaging Techniques

To determine the contribution of imaging techniques for diagnosis and therapy planning of patients with parotid masses. 16 patients (10 female, 6 male; between 13-75 age; mean age 41.12±16.97 years) were evaluated retrospectively. Age, gender, clinical characteristics of patients, imaging studies which were performed preoperatively, location and characteristics of masses and invasion to the surrounding tissue, histopathologic examination of surgery specimens were evaluated in the current study. Histopathologic examinations of specimens revealed that all cases were benign. Histopathologic findings revealed no malignancy. Histopathologically, lesion was diagnosed as pleomorphic adenoma in 11 patients (%68.75) and Warthin tumor in 5 patients (%31.25). The mass was located in left parotid gland in 8 (%50) patients and in right parotid gland in 8 (%50) patients. Preoperative, ultrasound (US) was performed in 7 patients; computed tomography (CT) was performed in 9 patients; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in 5 patients. US should be the initial investigation of choice for patients with parotid masses because of superficial location. US is effective, inexpensive, nonradiation, non-invasive, practical and does not require sedation in diagnosis parotid masses. Deeply located tumors and malign tumors should be evaluated with CT or MRI. CT or MRI alone is sufficient for evaluation.