Changes of Parotid and Submandibular Glands Caused by Radiotherapy--an Ultrasound Evaluation

Overview

Journal Dentomaxillofac Radiol

Publisher Oxford University Press

Date 2012 Jan 14

PMID 22241872

Citations 9

Authors

M Imanimoghaddam

M Rahrooh

Z Tafakhori

S Zahedanaraki

F Homaeieshandiz

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: Radiotherapy may alter the normal morphology of salivary glands located in the radiation field. These changes could be evaluated safely by sonography; however, there have been few studies in this regard. This study is aimed at evaluating the sonographic changes of the parotid and submandibular glands in patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck malignancies.

Methods: 20 patients (16 males and 4 females) with head and neck malignancies who had been referred for radiotherapy to the Qaem Hospital in Mashhad, Iran, entered the study. Length, height, depth, echotexture, echogenicity and margins of parotid and submandibular glands were evaluated in three stages (I, before radiotherapy; II, 2 weeks after radiotherapy; and III, 6-7 weeks after radiotherapy) using sonography. Peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV) and resistive index (RI) were also evaluated by Doppler sonography.

Results: Significant differences in length, height and depth (p = 0.000, p = 0.000, and p = 0.39, respectively) and also echotexture, echogenicity and gland margins (p = 0.000) were observed before and after radiotherapy. Doppler sonography results showed no significant differences regarding PSV, EDV and RI between sonographic stages. Echotexture and echogenicity were the only independent parameters that showed significant differences in sonographic stages I and II (p = 0.000). Length in stage I and II (p = 0.000) and echogenicity in stage III (p = 0.038) were the only parameters that showed significant differences between the two glands.

Conclusion: Radiotherapy may change the echotexture, echogenicity and margins of the salivary glands from homogenic to heterogenic, hyperechoic to hypoechoic and regular to irregular, respectively, and may reduce their size.

Citing Articles

How Effective Is Radiotherapy in the Ultrasonographic Structural Characteristics of the Submandibular Glands?.

Acikgoz G, Sezen O, Ozmen H, Akgul H Eurasian J Med. 2024; 56(2):108-113.

PMID: 39109959 PMC: 11332259. DOI: 10.5152/eurasianjmed.2024.23227.

The applicability of ultrasound in the diagnosis of inflammatory and obstructive diseases of the major salivary glands: a scoping review.

Resende E, Gomes N, Abreu L, Castro M, Aguiar M Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 2021; 51(4):20210361.

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A longitudinal study on parotid and submandibular gland changes assessed by magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography in post-radiotherapy nasopharyngeal cancer patients.

Wu V, Ying M, Kwong D, Khong P, Wong G, Tam S BJR Open. 2020; 2(1):20200003.

PMID: 33178971 PMC: 7583169. DOI: 10.1259/bjro.20200003.

Evaluation of saliva glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde levels in head-neck radiotherapy patients.

Derindag G, Akgul H, Kiziltunc A, Ozkan H, Ozmen H, Akgul N Turk J Med Sci. 2020; 51(2):644-649.

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Structural Variations in Parotid Glands Induced by Radiation Therapy in Patients with Oral Carcinoma Observed on Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography.

Ogura I, Sasaki Y, Oda T, Sue M, Yamaguchi H, Kameta A Pol J Radiol. 2018; 82:561-566.

PMID: 29662586 PMC: 5894056. DOI: 10.12659/PJR.902520.

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