title: [Calcifications of the parotid space. A review].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parotid lithiasis is the main cause of calcifications in the parotid space. However, there are many other less known causes. The aim of our study was to point out the non-lithiasic causes of calcifications in the parotid space.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted an exhaustive review of the literature by mean of PubMed, using the keywords "parotid" and "calcification" and limiting our analysis to the original articles in humans published in English and in French. Articles reporting about microscopic calcifications and who were not dealing with parotid calcifications were excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty articles met the inclusion criterions. Tumoral and non-tumoral local causes and systemic causes of parotid calcification were found. The way they revealed was variable. The main tumoral local causes were pleomorphic adenomas, salivary duct carcinomas and adenocarcinomas. The main non-tumoral local causes included vascular malformations and calcified parotid lymph nodes. The main systemic causes were chronic kidney diseases, HIV infection, chronic alcoholism, elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase and auto-immune diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Eighteen different etiologies of parotid space calcifications could be identified. First line exploration of these lesions relies mainly on conventional radiography and ultrasound examination that are easily available. CT scan remains the reference examination.
authors.affiliation: Service de stomatologie et de chirurgie maxillo-faciale, CHU de la Timone, AP-HM, 264, rue Saint-Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 5, France. Electronic address: simon.avignon@ap-hm.fr.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avignon
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie maxillo-faciale, stomatologie et plastique, hôpital Nord, chemin des Bourrelys, 13015 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: J-M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Foletti
authors.affiliation: Service de stomatologie et de chirurgie maxillo-faciale, CHU de la Timone, AP-HM, 264, rue Saint-Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Collet
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie maxillo-faciale, stomatologie et plastique, hôpital Nord, chemin des Bourrelys, 13015 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guyot
authors.affiliation: Service de stomatologie et de chirurgie maxillo-faciale, CHU de la Timone, AP-HM, 264, rue Saint-Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chossegros
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D020347:Lithiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D010305:Parotid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012465:Salivary Duct Calculi / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Calcification; Parotid; Parotide