title: Actinomycosis of the parotid masquerading as malignant neoplasm.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary actinomycosis of the parotid gland is of rare occurrence and can mimic a malignant neoplasm both clinically as well as radiologically.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present here a case of primary actinomycosis of the parotid gland presenting with a parotid mass lesion with erosion of skull bones.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical presentation of cervico-facial actinomycosis is characterized by the presence of a suppurative or indurative mass with discharging sinuses. The lesion demonstrates characteristic features on fine needle aspiration cytology and histology, however at times the findings are equivocal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Regional Cancer Centre, Trivandrum 695011, Kerala, India. geenu@eth.net
authors.forename: Bipin T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Varghese
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sebastian
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
authors.forename: Manoj
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pandey
mesh_terms: D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000473:pathology*; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012466:Salivary Gland Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*