Ultrasonography an effective screening tool for Major salivary gland pathology: A pilot study

There are three pairs of major salivary glands, namely Parotid, Submandibular and Sublingual. Parotid gland is located in the retro-mandibular fossa, Submandibular under the body of the mandible, & the Sublingual in the sublingual space lying lateral to the genioglossus muscle. Apart from obstructive and inflammatory diseases they are also prone for neoplastic changes. After clinical evaluation of gland ultrasonography is an important screening tool for salivary gland pathology. The aim of this study was to establish the usefulness of ultrasonography in screening of major salivary gland for various pathological conditions. 40 patients visited to Department of Oral Pathology/Oral Medicine and Radiology with chief complains associated with major salivary glands were included in our study. Patient was first subjected to plain radiography followed by ultrasonography. Ultrasound was not only found superior to plain radiography in screening of obstructive disease, it also provided valuable information about other pathological condition associated with major salivary gland. As ultrasonography is simple non ionizing, non invasive diagnostic procedure it should be used as first-line of imaging modality in assessment of salivary gland diseases.