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. 2017 Jan;46(1):20150431.
doi: 10.1259/dmfr.20150431. Epub 2016 Sep 23.

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

Hélios Bertin  1 , Raphael Bonnet  1 , Anne-Sophie Delemazure  2 , Emmanuelle Mourrain-Langlois  2 , Jacques Mercier  1 , Pierre Corre  1
Affiliations

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

Hélios Bertin et al. Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 2017 Jan.

Abstract

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.

Keywords: CBCT; diagnostic imaging; salivary gland disease; sialography.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Microsurgical clamp placed on the ostium of the right Wharton's duct to maintain the contrast medium in the submandibular gland.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Sagittal multiplanar reconstruction of the main duct of the right submandibular gland: a ductal-filling defect corresponding to a non-obstructive 3-mm stone of the hilum of the gland (white arrow). It can be noted that the air bubble images are appearing as multiple air defects (black arrows).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Right Stensen's megaduct associated with bead-like strictures (arrows) in the distal third of the main duct without upstream opacification: (a) axial plan of the right parotid ductal system in multiplanar reconstruction. (b) Sagittal view of the ductal system of the right parotid gland in three-dimensional reconstruction.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Inferior view of the main duct of the left submandibular gland in three-dimensional reconstruction: low tight stricture (arrow) in the distal third of the Wharton's duct with a distal “dead tree” appearance.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Inferior view of the two submandibular ducts in three-dimensional reconstruction, showing bilateral anatomical kinking of the distal third of the Wharton's duct (arrows) with good upstream opacification.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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