Sonographic analysis of recurrent parotitis in children: A comparative study with sialographic findings

Objective. The sonographic features of recurrent parotitis in children were studied to clarify a relationship between sonographic and sialographic findings in this disease. Study design. Twenty-one glands (7 on follow-up) were examined by 7.5 MHz ultrasonography and sialography. Echo intensity level, distribution of the internal echoes, and size of hypoechoic areas were compared with the size of punctate shadows on the sialograms. Twenty other histopathologic specimens were analyzed to investigate the entity of hypoechoic areas. Results. Sonography showed hypoechoic, heterogeneous internal echoes, the level of which increased as the punctate shadows enlarged. Hypoechoic areas, all of which were larger than the sialographic punctate shadows, were observed in 62% of the glands. Histopathologic analysis suggests that these hypoechoic areas represent dilated peripheral ducts with lymphocytic infiltration. Sonography was likely to detect changes over time more sensitively than sialography. Conclusions. Sonography should be performed as the test of first choice, both in the primary and follow-up stages, in cases of recurrent parotitis in children.