Ultrasonic features and pathological information of lymphoepithelial carcinomas of the salivary gland with ferroferric oxide nanometer ultrasound contrast agent

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate and analyze the ultrasonic features and pathological information of lymphoepithelial carcinomas of the salivary gland using ultrasound. The general clinical information of 62 patients with lymphoepithelial carcinomas of the salivary gland and the ultrasonic features and pathological information of 28 patients who underwent surgery were retrospectively analyzed and compared with ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) nanometer lipid microbubble contrast agent using Minitab software with P < 0.005 to indicate statistical significance. Similarly, inflammatory nodules, lymphomas, and metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinomas were identified using ultrasound. Lymphoepithelial carcinomas were often observed in the parotid glands, with hypoechoic nodules. Network-like or cord-like hyperechoes were often observed in the nodules, with unclear boundaries, irregular morphologies, and significantly less invasion into the surrounding tissues. Differences in the incidence in the right and left glands, blood flow signal, nerve invasion, lymphatic metastasis, and tumor volume were insignificant. Lymphatic metastasis was often noted in ipsilateral neck level II, followed by the periparotid region or ipsilateral neck level I. The diagnoses of inflammatory nodules and lymphomas had a combined pathology, while the diagnosis of nasopharynx cancer was dependent on the result of nasopharyngoscopy. The ultrasonic features of lymphoepithelial carcinomas of the salivary gland are network-like or cord-like hypoechoic nodules that possess the ultrasonic and biological features of malignant tumors.