Ultrasonography Features of Normal Submandibular Parenchyma and Incidental Diffuse Submandibular Disease: A Single-Center Study.

This study aimed to assess ultrasonography (US) features of normal submandibular parenchyma (NSP) and incidental diffuse submandibular disease (DSD). From January 2013 to December 2017, 39 patients underwent preoperative US of the submandibular gland before submandibular surgery in our hospital. Among them, 9 were excluded because of inadequate histopathologic data (n = 7) or poor US image quality (n = 2). The US features of the resected submandibular glands were retrospectively investigated by a single radiologist, blinded to clinicoserological information and the histopathologic result, using a picture archiving and communication system. Histopathologic analysis of the submandibular gland was retrospectively performed by a single pathologist. After histopathologic analysis, 11 of the 30 patients were classified as DSD and 19 as NSP. Of the individual US features, only parenchymal echotexture exhibited a statistically significant difference between NSP and DSD (P < 0.0001), whereas the other US features showed no significant differences (P > 0.05). There was no significant relationship between diffuse fibrosis and glandular size (P = 0.310) or the other US features (P = 1.000). In conclusion, US may be helpful for differentiating incidental DSD from NSP.