Ultrasonographic features of recurrent parotitis in childhood

Abstract

Six children with recurrent parotitis were studied by ultrasound. Of the 12 parotid glands thus observed, 5 were swollen and 7 were not enlarged. Multiple round hypoechoic areas measuring 2-4 mm in diameter were seen in all 5 enlarged parotid glands and in 5 non-enlarged glands. These small hypoechoic areas were larger than the punctate pools of contrast medium shown by sialography. We consider that these hypoechoic areas represented both peripheral sialectasis and surrounding lymphocytic infiltration. We propose that ultrasonography may be useful for the diagnosis and follow-up of recurrent parotitis in childhood.

US of the Major Salivary Glands: Anatomy and Spatial Relationships, Pathologic Conditions, and Pitfalls

“…At US, chronic and sometimes acute sialadenitis in children (Fig 13), as well as acalculous submandibular gland sialadenitis in adults, have also been described as showing multiple small, round or oval, hypoechoic areas or lesions distributed throughout glandular parenchyma (23,25,31). The differential diagnosis in such cases includes sarcoidosis and other granulomatous diseases, …”

Chronic juvenile recurrent parotitis: a retrospective study in a tertiary care hospital in South India

“…1 Studies have suggested that hypoechoic areas and anechoic areas in parotid are consistent with ductal ectasia and lymph node enlargement. 16 Clinical examination and sonography as a combination are sensitive tools for diagnosis of CRP. MRI Sialography is recently been advocated as useful supplement to conventional sialography.…”

Bilateral parotid swelling: a radiological review

“…3,4,7 Chronic recurrent parotitis Chronic recurrent parotitis (CRP) is a rare inflammatory disease of unknown aetiology. 3,8,9 CRP is characterized by multiple episodes of unilateral or bilateral parotid swelling with or without pain. The age of onset usually ranges between 2 years and 7 years.…”

“…Ultrasound demonstrates multiple minute (1 mm-3 mm) hypoechoic or anechoic focal lesions corresponding to punctate sialectasis on sialography ( Figure 3). 8,9 The imaging differential diagnosis of CRP includes benign lymphoepithelial cysts and juvenile Sjö gren syndrome.…”