Ultrasonographic evaluation of salivary gland diseases.

Ultrasonography is an imaging modality in which the high frequency sound waves are sent into the tissues and the acoustic impedence of the tissues are received, amplified and imaged. The echoes of the tissues vary according to their densities. Ultrasonography is applied in the field of medicine, in the evaluation of soft tissues, to record their movements and to assess their vascularity. In the oro-facial region, ultrasonography is employed in the evaluation of salivary glands, cervical lymph nodes, in soft tissues and post-operative swellings. Ten interesting cases of salivary gland diseases are presented here, each case showing a characteristic sonographic feature and providing a useful diagnostic clue in the identification of the disease.