Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma of the parotid gland, unusual malignancy radiologically simulating a benign lesion: case report.
BACKGROUND
Ultrasound (US), Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are widely used in the clinical diagnosis of parotid gland tumors and their efficacy in identifying benign lesions is well documented. However, problems arise when facing some malignant lesions. Only few cases of salivary gland low grade malignant tumors have been previously reported in the literature complete with the radiological features.


METHODS
We here describe a case of epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (EMC) of the parotid gland, a low grade malignant tumor, with spread to an intraparotid lymph node and with CT and MRI findings mimicking a benign lesion.


CONCLUSIONS
All the images revealed sharply outlined profiles and a homogeneous enhancement of the nodule, suggesting a benign tumor and demonstrating that a radiological evaluation of the lesion alone may be unsatisfactory and misleading in the diagnosis of salivary gland tumours, especially in the case of low grade malignant tumors, such as EMC.
Piscioli
Irene
I
Department of Pathology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases "L, Spallanzani" IRCCS, Rome, Italy. licci@inmi.it.
Morelli
Luca
L
Falzone
Andrea
A
Del Nonno
Franca
F
Neri
Marinella
M
Di Rocco
Zorika Christiana
ZC
Catalucci
Alessia
A
Donato
Salvatore
S
Licci
Stefano
S