The Utility of Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of “Cystic” Lesions of the Salivary Gland

Abstract

Abstract Unlike in the thyroid, ultrasound (US) imaging of salivary gland lesions that show posterior enhancement or through transmission does not necessarily imply the presence of a cystic lesion. The 3 cases presented in this article illustrate the wide range of diagnoses that may have very similar findings by US imaging. Thus, emphasis is placed on the need for sampling of these lesions with careful evaluation of both US images and ideally US-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology to arrive at an accurate interpretation.