Identification of feeding arteries to establish the intra- or extraparotidlocation of jugulodigastric nodules: Value of color Doppler sonography

OBJECTIVE, The objective of our study was to determine the value of color D oppler imaging as an adjunct to gray-scale sonography to reveal the intra- or extraparotid origin of jugulodigastric nodules of uncertain location. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Forty nodules in the jugulodigastric area from 38 pat ients were imaged with,gray-scale, color, and power Doppler sonography. Nod ules receiving vessels from salivary glands were assumed to be intraglandul ar; those accepting vessels from paraparotid spaces were considered to aris e from outside the gland. Imaging results were correlated with biopsy and s urgical findings. RESULTS, In 38 of 40 cases, color and power Doppler sonography displayed di screte feeding arteries leading to the nodules: 25 nodules had one supplyin g artery, nine received two arteries, and four had three or more arteries. Intraparotid nodules received vessels from the gland in 20 cases, In two ca ses, the source of vessels was indeterminate. In two malignant tumors, mult iple arteries derived from both the parotid and the neck spaces, All 14 ext raparotid nodules received the arterial supply from paraparotid spaces. Col or Doppler sonography enabled prediction of the intraglandular location of the nodules in 91% of cases and the extraglandular location in 87.5% of cas es. The correct diagnosis was achieved in 34 of 40 nodules, with a global a ccuracy of 85%. CONCLUSION. Color Doppler sonography can help to assess the intra- or extra parotid location of jugulodigastric nodules. In practice, this technique ca n support the diagnosis when gray-scale sonography raises doubts about the origin of a jugulodigastric nodule.