Diagnosis of submandibular gland tumors: a comparison of CT and ultrasound.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims at determining whether CT is superior to ultrasound in providing more accurate information in the investigation of submandibular gland tumours. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out between 2005 and 2010. Thirty-five (35) patients, who presented with submandibular gland swelling and had diagnostic ultrasound or CT/MRI prior to surgery and histological examination of tissues removed at surgery were investigated to determine the correlation between radiologic diagnosis and histologic diagnosis. RESULTS: CT was used in the pre-op assessment of 22 patients, 12 of which had correct diagnosis when compared with the histology findings while ultrasound was used in pre-op assessment of 13 patients, 12 of which concurred with the histological diagnosis. With regards to ability to detect malignant lesion, ultrasound had much higher sensitivity than CT and comparable specificity. Therefore, in this study, ultrasound provided a better guide in the pre-op radiologic assessment of submandibular gland swelling. CONCLUSION: Our evaluation of pre-operative diagnosis of CT and ultrasound in the assessment of submandibular swellings reveal that ultrasound is better in determining the nature of the lesion.