S Gupta1, P Sodhani. 1. Division of Cytopathology, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Sialadenosis is recurrent, noninflammatory, nonneoplastic enlargement of salivary glands usually associated with an underlying systemic disorder. CASES: Fine needle aspiration was performed on four patients with bilateral, painless parotid swellings. The cytologic picture was distinctive and identical in all the cases. Smears revealed clusters of swollen acini and numerous naked nuclei of acinar origin in the background. There was absence of inflammatory cells. Diagnosis of sialadenosis was made in each case. Morphometric measurements were performed using an ocular micrometer. Results indicated a significant increase in mean acinar diameter in a sialadenotic gland as compared to a normal gland (76.03 microns vs. 53.79 microns). CONCLUSION: Cytomorphologic features of sialadenosis are distinctive enough to enable its diagnosis on fine needle aspiration. It is important to be aware of this entity as most cases do not require surgical intervention.
BACKGROUND: Sialadenosis is recurrent, noninflammatory, nonneoplastic enlargement of salivary glands usually associated with an underlying systemic disorder. CASES: Fine needle aspiration was performed on four patients with bilateral, painless parotid swellings. The cytologic picture was distinctive and identical in all the cases. Smears revealed clusters of swollen acini and numerous naked nuclei of acinar origin in the background. There was absence of inflammatory cells. Diagnosis of sialadenosis was made in each case. Morphometric measurements were performed using an ocular micrometer. Results indicated a significant increase in mean acinar diameter in a sialadenotic gland as compared to a normal gland (76.03 microns vs. 53.79 microns). CONCLUSION: Cytomorphologic features of sialadenosis are distinctive enough to enable its diagnosis on fine needle aspiration. It is important to be aware of this entity as most cases do not require surgical intervention.