title: Assessment of post-radiotherapy salivary glands.
abstract: Salivary glands are usually irradiated during radiotherapy for head and neck cancers, which can lead to radiation-induced damage. Radiation-induced xerostomia (oral dryness) is the most common post-radiotherapy complication for head and neck cancer patients and can reduce the patient's quality of life. Accurate and efficient salivary gland assessment methods provide a better understanding of the cause and degree of xerostomia, and may help in patient management. At present, there are different methods for the assessment of salivary gland hypofunction; however, none of them are considered to be standard procedure. This article reviews the value of common methods in the assessment of post-radiotherapy salivary glands.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hunghom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: S C H
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: V W C
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: D L W
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Kwong
authors.forename: M T C
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ying
mesh_terms: D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000528:radiation effects; D012472:Salivation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology