Imaging
diagnosis:
Sublingual salivary gland adenoma
Discussion:
Salivary gland neoplasms most commonly appear in the sixth decade of life.
Patients with malignant lesions typically present after age 60 years,
whereas those with benign lesions usually present after age 40 years.
Benign neoplasms occur more frequently in women than in men, but malignant
tumors are distributed equally between the sexes.
Among salivary gland neoplasms, 80% arise in the parotid glands, 10-15%
arise in the submandibular glands, and the remainder occur in the sublingual
and minor salivary glands.
Minor salivary gland tumors have a varied presentation depending on the
site of origin. Painless masses on the palate or floor of mouth are the
most common presentation of minor salivary neoplasm. Laryngeal salivary
gland neoplasms may produce airway obstruction, dysphagia, or hoarseness.
Minor salivary tumors of the nasal cavity or paranasal sinus can present
with nasal obstruction or sinusitis.
Minor salivary gland neoplasms are often difficult to assess on examination,
and the use of preoperative CT or MRI is important for determining the
extent of tumor, which otherwise is not clinically appreciable. This imaging
is particularly valuable for salivary gland neoplasms in the paranasal
sinus, where skull-base or intracranial extension may alter resectability
of the tumors.
Ref: www.emedicine.com
Dr. Sanjeev Mani,
Bandra Holy Family Hospital, Mumbai
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