Tumors of the parotid gland: MR imaging characteristics of various histologic types.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this investigation was to study the MR imaging characteristics of various histologic types of parotid gland tumors in order to determine if MR findings can be used to categorize these tumors.


METHODS
We retrospectively studied the MR images and pathologic findings in 20 patients with a variety of tumors of the parotid gland. Fat-suppressed T1-weighted images, T2-weighted images, and contrast-enhanced fat-suppressed T1-weighted images were acquired with a 1.5-T MR imager and an anterior neck coil.


RESULTS
Carcinomas (n = 5) were characterized by infiltration into the muscles along the surface of the mandible and by contrast enhancement. Warthin's tumors (n = 4) showed areas of different signal intensity on T2-weighted images and did not enhance after injection of contrast material. Pleomorphic adenomas (n = 11) showed enhancement after injection of contrast material but did not infiltrate the muscles.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that MR characteristics are helpful in categorizing parotid gland tumors according to histologic type.
Department of Radiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, New York 14642.
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Westesson
D000235:Adenolymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D000465:Algorithms; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003287:Contrast Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000473:pathology; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D003287:Contrast Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA