3D MR Sialography as a Tool to Investigate Radiation-Induced Xerostomia: Feasibility Study

Radiation-Induced Damage to Microstructure of Parotid Gland: Evaluation Using High-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging

“…MRI was performed 15-72 days from the day RT began. For 3 patients, MRI was obtained after RT completion (7,12, and 20 days after RT completion), and 4 patients underwent MRI twice during the RT course. The patient characteristics are listed in Table 1.…”

“…Moreover, we applied quantitative analysis for the assessment of structural changes. In recent years, magnetic resonance sialography has been used to investigate radiation-induced xerostomia (7,8). In contrast to magnetic resonance sialography, HR-MRI allows the delineation of not only the duct system itself, but also additional morphologic information such as connective tissue septa of the gland.…”

“…We performed MRI without any stimulation. A lack of nonstimulated salivary flow might play an important role in the subjective feeling of xerostomia that patients experience after RT (7). Our method might provide information about nonstimulated salivary flow, which was not acquired by conventional methods.…”

“…Studies on the volume reduction of the irradiated parotid gland using computed tomography (5,6) or on salivary duct visibility using magnetic resonance sialography have been reported (7,8); however, to the best of our knowledge, noninvasive imaging techniques for evaluating morphologic changes to the internal architecture of the salivary gland have not been described in humans.…”

Quantitative/Objective Analyses of RT-Induced Late Normal Tissue Injury Using Functional Imaging

“…Visibility of the parotid ducts was reduced at 6 weeks post-RT (Fig. 28); after 6 months, some patients showed the visibility scores (Astreinidou et al 2007). …”