ANATOMY AND PATHOLOGY WITH THE MRI OF THE PAROTID-GLAND

Due to a very complex embryological development a variety of different tissues are mixed together within the parotid gland. Secondary degene rative metaplastic and regenerative alterations result in additional t issue variety. Epithelial cells of distinct differentiation, lymphatic tissue, partly within lymph nodes, partly in clusters, sebaceous tiss ue, fat and peripheral nervous tissue may be the origin of a pathologi cal neoplastic or inflammatory intraparotid lesion. MRI is an optimal tool for the delineation of the anatomy of the parotid gland and of va rious intraparotid lesions and permits differentiation malignant and b enign neoplastic and inflammatory lesions. The morphology of the diffe rent pathological MRI reflects the histopathology. Due to great interi ndividual variations in the tissue characterization of a specific intr aparotid lesion, great differences in MR morphology have to be expecte d.