title: Association of Xerostomia and Ultrasonographic Features of the Major Salivary Glands After Radioactive Iodine Ablation for Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between xerostomia and sonographic features of the major salivary glands after patients undergo radioactive iodine ablation (RIA) for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 256 consecutive patients who underwent total thyroidectomy, RIA, and neck ultrasound examinations. Changes in the ultrasound features of the parotid and submandibular glands after RIA were evaluated retrospectively by a single radiologist, on the basis of direct comparison of sonograms obtained before and after RIA. Clinical data, including the presence of xerostomia, were investigated retrospectively by the same radiologist via a review of the electronic medical records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For 111 of the 256 patients (43.4%), ultrasound examination revealed changes in the major salivary glands after RIA. The presence of xerostomia was undetermined in 85 of the 256 patients. Among the remaining 171 patients, the frequency of xerostomia was 36.8% (63/171). When patients with xerostomia were compared with those without xerostomia, no statistically significant differences in patient sex and age, the dose of RIA received, or the number of RIA sessions were noted (p > 0.05). Considering the changes in the ultrasound features of the major salivary glands after RIA, no statistically significant association was found between xerostomia and the number of involved major salivary glands or the presence of an involved submandibular gland (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, ultrasound was unhelpful for evaluating xerostomia after RIA in patients with PTC.
authors: 1 Department of Radiology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, 75, Bokji-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea 47392.
authors: Sang
authors: S
authors: Soo Roh
authors: 1 Department of Radiology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, 75, Bokji-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea 47392.
authors: Dong
authors: D
authors: Wook Kim
authors: 2 Department of Radiology, Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Changwon, South Korea.
authors: Hye
authors: H
authors: Jin Baek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000528:radiation effects*; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes
keywords: major salivary glands; papillary thyroid carcinoma; radioactive iodine ablation; ultrasonography, xerostomia