Sonographic analysis of rat submandibular glands in experimentally-induced sialadenitis.
OBJECTIVE
To correlate the sonographic features of experimentally-induced obstructive sialadenitis in rat submandibular glands with the histopathological changes.


METHODS
Changes in sonograms of ligated and non-ligated rat submandibular glands were compared with the wet weight and histopathology. Sonograms were obtained at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 21 days after duct ligation at 13 and 14 MHz for B-mode and for power Doppler mode respectively. Changes in gland size, echo intensity, distribution of internal echoes and vascularity were evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively.


RESULTS
Changes in size of the ligated glands were very similar to changes in wet weight. The ligated glands showed lower echo intensity than the non-ligated glands. The ligated glands showed higher echo intensity in the central portion at 4-7 days after duct ligation which resulted in heterogeneity of the glands. Vascularity of the ligated glands increased in the acute phase, and then decreased to the level of the non-ligated glands.


CONCLUSIONS
The three phases in the changes in ligated glands identifiable histopathologically can be differentiated by B-mode sonography. Power Doppler can differentiate the acute phase. Sonography therefore appears useful for the diagnosis of the degree of gland damage.
Shimizu
M
M
Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Tokumori
K
K
Saitoh
M
M
Miwa
K
K
Yoshiura
K
K
Kanda
S
S
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018987:Salivary Ducts / Q000601:surgery; D012793:Sialadenitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D013364:Submandibular Gland Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler