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Parotid gland

The parotid gland is the largest of the major salivary glands, located in the preauricular region of the face. It plays a crucial role in saliva production, aiding in digestion and oral health. Accurate imaging is essential for evaluating parotid gland pathology, including tumors, infections, and inflammatory conditions.

Synonyms for Parotid Gland:

  • Parotis

  • Parotid salivary gland

  • Glandula parotis

  • Largest salivary gland

  • Lateral salivary gland

MRI Appearance of Parotid Gland:

  • PD (Proton Density):

    • The parotid gland appears as a structure of intermediate signal intensity.

    • Glandular tissue can be distinguished from surrounding fat, which is hyperintense.

    • Useful for evaluating subtle parenchymal changes.

  • STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

    • The parotid gland shows intermediate-to-high signal intensity.

    • STIR suppresses fat, making it easier to detect edema or infiltrative processes.

    • Lesions or inflammation within the gland appear hyperintense compared to normal tissue.

  • T1-weighted MRI:

    • The normal parotid gland has relatively low-to-intermediate signal intensity.

    • Surrounding fat is bright, providing excellent anatomical contrast.

    • Tumors or cysts may appear as areas of altered (usually lower) signal intensity.

    • Post-contrast T1 can highlight masses, abscesses, or other focal lesions.

CT Scan Appearance of Parotid Gland:

  • The parotid gland appears as a well-defined, lobulated soft tissue structure anterior and inferior to the external ear.

  • On non-contrast CT, the gland is of soft tissue density, slightly higher than muscle but lower than adjacent fat.

  • Contrast-enhanced CT improves delineation of glandular tissue, ducts, and vascular structures.

  • Calcifications (e.g., sialolithiasis) are easily detected.

  • Tumors may present as masses with varying enhancement patterns, while abscesses show central low density with peripheral enhancement.

MRI images

Parotid gland MRI SAG IMAGE

CT image

Parotid gland CT axial image-img-00000-00000