IMAGING OF THE SALIVARY-GLANDS

The most common conditions affecting the salivary glands are calculi, inflammation and tumours. Plain radiography may be useful, especially in showing calculi. Sialography is the examination of choice for infla mmatory diseases, whereas ultrasonography, computed tomography and mag netic resonance imaging are particularly useful in evaluating masses i n the salivary glands. Radionuclide studies are sometimes helpful in e valuating inflammatory or tumoral diseases. Each technique has its pla ce, and the methods are often complementary. In this review article th e authors present the techniques that they use in evaluating diseases of the salivary glands.