SIALADENOSIS OF PAROTID-GLAND - A CYTOMORPHOLOGIC AND MORPHOMETRIC STUDY OF 4 CASES

BACKGROUND: Sialadenosis is recurrent, noninflammatory, nonneoplastic enlargement of salivary glands usually associated with an underlying s ystemic disorder. CASES: Fine needle aspiration was performed on four patients with bilateral, painless parotid swellings. The cytologic pic ture was distinctive and identical in all the cases. Smears revealed c lusters of swollen acini and numerous naked nuclei of acinar origin in the background. There was absence of inflammatory cells. Diagnosis of sialadenosis was made in each case. Morphometric measurements were pe rformed using an ocular micrometer. Results indicated a significant in crease in mean acinar diameter in a sialadenotic gland as compared to a normal gland (76.03 mu m vs. 53.79 mu m). CONCLUSION: Cytomorphologi c features of sialadenosis are distinctive enough to enable its diagno sis on fine needle aspiration. It is important to be aware of this ent ity as most cases do not require surgical intervention.