Parotid tumors: differentiation of benign and malignant tumors with quantitative sonographic analyses

Role of ultrasound in the assessment of benignity and malignancy of parotid masses

“…The presumed diagnosis was benign lesion and the pathological diagnosis was Warthin's tumour Sonographic assessment of the parotid masses S Wu et al significant difference, which indicated that it is hard to distinguish malignant parotid masses from benign masses using sonography and that this method is unable to distinguish between different benign or malignant lesions because some tumours and lesions have similar characteristics. [1][2][3][4][16][17][18] This was in disagreement with other studies. [1][2][3][4]6,7 Sonographic features of infiltration of parotid malignant tumours were not found in this study and are seldom reported in other literature.…”

“…[1][2][3][4][16][17][18] This was in disagreement with other studies. [1][2][3][4]6,7 Sonographic features of infiltration of parotid malignant tumours were not found in this study and are seldom reported in other literature. CDFI may find parotid masses blood supply information, but the distribution in benign and malignant lesions had no significant difference and its value was limited, which was consistent with Bradley et al 8 and Schick et al 9 The potential limitations of the study were that the sample size was not large enough, some small nodules and large size masses without FNA or pathological results were not included, a few cases did not undergo ultrasound examination and were not included, and the clinical data, including history, speed of growth, pain, facial palsy and so on, were not enrolled, which may affect the study of the parotid gland masses.…”

“…[12][13][14][15] The results of the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of ultrasound for the diagnosis of parotid gland masses and the accuracy for malignant masses indicated that the overall level of sonographic diagnosis, was low, which suggested that ultrasound examination was unable to make a sufficiently definite diagnosis, and this is in disagreement with some studies. [1][2][3][4] The sonographic characteristics of parotid masses including shape, margin, echogenicity, echotexture and vascularization between benign and malignant lesions had no Figure 2 Sonographic image shows a heterogeneous hypoechoic ovoid mass in the left parotid in a 68-year-old female with punctate calcifications, circumscribed margin, posterior echogenicity enhancement and distinct edge refraction. The presumed diagnosis was benign lesion and the pathological diagnosis was Warthin's tumour Sonographic assessment of the parotid masses S Wu et al significant difference, which indicated that it is hard to distinguish malignant parotid masses from benign masses using sonography and that this method is unable to distinguish between different benign or malignant lesions because some tumours and lesions have similar characteristics.…”

“…The sonographic characteristics were reviewed in consensus by two sonologists who had 9 years and 10 years' experience of parotid ultrasound examination, respectively, and who were blinded to the presumed and final diagnosis. The interpretation was based on individual ultrasound features of parotid gland masses with reference to reports [1][2][3][4]7 and was combined with our experience, including dimensions, shape (oval, lobulated or irregular), margins (circumscribed, spiculated or illdefined), echogenicity (anechoic, hypoechoic, isoechoic or hyperechoic), echotexture (homogeneous or heterogeneous) and vascularization. Vascularization was assessed in four grades: Grade 1 indicates no vessels visible in the mass in colour Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) low-flow mode; Grade 2 indicates a few vessel segments of no more than three blood vessels visible in the whole mass; Grade 3 indicates up to five vessels visible in the mass; and Grade 4 indicates more than five vessels visible in the mass.…”

“…Ultrasound plays an important role in the diagnosis of space-occupying lesions. Some studies [1][2][3][4] found that ultrasound was able to differentiate between benign and malignant parotid masses with high accuracy while other studies [5][6][7][8][9] presented opposing conclusions. The aim of this study was to assess the role of ultrasound in the evaluation of benignity and malignancy of parotid gland masses.…”