[CT features of parotid tumors: an analysis of 133 cases].
OBJECTIVE
Most parotid tumors grow slowly. It is difficult to evaluate their malignancy. This study was to analyze the CT features of parotid tumors.


METHODS
CT images of 133 patients with 157 lesions of parotid tumors, confirmed by histopathology, were reviewed. The location, contour, margin, enhancing type, necrosis and liquefaction, and adjacent structure involvement were analyzed.


RESULTS
Among the 157 lesions, 110 (70.1%) were benign tumors, 18 (11.5%) were borderline tumors, and 29 (18.5%) were malignant tumors; 80 (72.7%) benign lesions and 14 (77.8%) borderline lesions located in the superficial lobe, whereas 7 (24.1%) malignant lesions located in the deep lobe and 10 (34.5%) in both the superficial lobe and the deep lobe; 99 (90.0%) benign lesions had sharp margins, 8 (44.4%) borderline lesions had sharp margins and 10 (55.6%) had partly unsharp margins, 10 (34.5%) malignant lesions had partly unsharp margins and 11 (37.9%) had unsharp margins. Most benign lesions were round (68/110, 61.8%) or oval (23/110, 20.9%), while malignant lesions were often irregular (14/29, 48.3%). Eleven lesions, including 2 borderline tumors and 9 malignant tumors, involved the adjacent subcutaneous fat. All the lesions which involved the bed of parotid gland were malignant. No benign tumor involved adjacent structures.


CONCLUSIONS
On CT images, a parotid tumor located in the superficial lobe, with a round or oval contour and sharp margin, is more likely to be a benign tumor; otherwise, it might be a malignant tumor.
Lu
Yan-Chun
YC
State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, PR China.
Fan
Wei-Jun
WJ
Shen
Jing-Xian
JX
Xiao
Peng
P
D000235:Adenolymphoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018267:Carcinoma, Acinar Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D018277:Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult