Diagnostic imaging in sialadenitis.

This article presents a survey of the imaging procedures in inflammatory changes of the salivary glands. State-of-the-art procedures are described along with a perspective on recent innovations. Various imaging procedures are discussed, including ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Then, imaging options in different forms of acute and chronic sialadenitis are considered. The choice of method is guided by consideration of the reliability, the side effects, the accessibility, and, ultimately, the costs. The focus is mainly on diagnostic ultrasound and resonance methods because, with their aid, the investigation of almost all the inflammatory diseases of the large salivary glands can be performed with accurate results, without exposing the patient to radiation.