Submandibular salivary gland masses: a clinicopathological study

ABSTRACT

The aims were to study the pre-operative evaluation of submandibular gland masses, operative strategies, and the variety of pathological conditions that afflict the gland, and to emphasize the role of fine needle aspiration biopsy in selecting patients for surgery. Fifty-six cases of submandibular gland masses treated surgically over a six-year period at King Hussein Medical Center between January 1991 and December 1996 were studied. Clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, pathological findings and treatment approaches were reviewed. Out of these 34 [60.7 percent] were non-neoplastic lesions. An asymptomatic mass was the most common presentation. Pre-operative investigations were mainly computed tomography, ultra sonography, and fine needle aspiration cytology. The study showed that the distribution of submandibular salivary gland lesions was similar to many published series. Computed tomography was found to be more accurate than ultrasound in localization of submandibular masses. Fine needle aspiration cytology was found to be helpful in preoperative planning