European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

MORPHOMETRY OF PAROTID AND SUBMANDIBULAR GLANDS ON COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN ADULTS AT BPKIHS

Jibhakate K.*, Gupta M.K., Bhattarai M., Shah P.K. and Mishra N.

ABSTRACT

Background: The knowledge regarding the normal dimensions and different morphological patterns of these salivary glands is very much important in day to day clinical practice. Specifications about the sizes of normal salivary glands are not widely available. It is important to have a standardized morphometric data in order to differentiate between normal and pathological salivary glands. Computed Tomography (CT) is an important radiographic technique to detect several salivary gland and has replaced other radiography techniques as the first-line imaging test mostly due to its improved sensitivity for detecting calcifications, intraglandular masses, and adjacent inflammatory standing. Objectives: To measure length, width, thickness and volume of parotid and submandibular glands. To correlate the linear dimensions and volume of parotid and submandibular glands with age, gender, laterality and BMI. Material and Methods: The study was cross sectional study carried out in the Department of Radiodiagnosis & Imaging, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, over a period of one year. Patients 18 years and above referred to the Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging for computed tomography of head, neck and PNS were included in our study. Patients with known diseases of parotid and submandibular gland, patients with parotid and submandibular gland lesions detected during computed tomography and patients who underwent surgery of parotid or submandibular glands or that of neck, patients with history of radiotherapy in head/neck region and systemic diseases affecting salivary glands, adjacent lesions causing compression/ displacement/deformation of gland and patients in whom any of the measurements is not possible due to inadequate visualization of gland were excluded from the study. Result: A total of 54 participants were enrolled in the study. Participants ranged from 19 to 78 years and maximum number of cases belonged to 40-59 years age group [23 (42.6%)]. Mean thickness and volume of submandibular gland was significantly greater in left side. Mean length, width, thickness and volume of submandibular gland in males were 3.42±0.33 cm, 2.28±0.22 cm, 2.56±0.21 cm, 8.08±0.53 cc respectively. Mean length, width, thickness and volume of submandibular gland in females were 2.96±0.16 cm, 2.12±0.23 cm, 2.40±0.21 cm, 7.55±0.36 cc respectively. The length, width and volume of submandibular showed weak negative correlation with age (r=-0.16, -0.11, -0.32 and -0.05 respectively). However, none of these correlation were statistically significant (p>0.05). The thickness of submandibular gland showed weak negative correlation with age (r= -0.32) which was statistically significant. Length, thickness and volume of submandibular gland showed weak positive correlation with BMI (r=0.32, 0.22 and 0.23 respectively) which were statistically significant. Width of submandibular gland showed weak positive correlation with BMI (r=0.119) which was not statistically significant. Overall mean length, width, thickness and volume of parotid gland were 3.19±0.34 cm, 2.20±0.24 cm, 2.48±0.22 cm, 7.81±0.52 cc respectively. The length and width of parotid gland showed weak negative correlation with age (r= -0.22, -0.20 respectively). The volume of parotid gland showed weak positive correlation (r= 0.39) with age. The thickness of parotid gland showed weak negative correlation (r=-0.07) with age, however it was not statistically significant. Length and volume of parotid gland showed weak positive correlation with BMI (r= 0.28, 0.23 respectively). The width and thickness of parotid gland showed weak positive correlation with BMI (r= 0.12, 0.14 respectively), however the correlations were not statistically significant. Conclusion: The mean length, width, thickness and volume of submandibular gland were 3.19±0.34 cm, 2.20±0.24 cm, 2.48±0.22 cm, 7.81±0.52 cc respectively. The mean length, width, thickness and volume of parotid gland were 5.03±0.32 cm, 2.99±0.33 cm, 3.35±0.35 cm, 23.16±1.36 cc respectively. The mean thickness and volume of left submandibular gland were significantly larger than those in right submandibular gland. Mean length, width, thickness and volume of submandibular gland were significantly greater in male compared to female. The thickness of submandibular gland showed weak negative correlation with age. Length, thickness and volume of submandibular gland showed weak positive correlation with BMI. The mean length of right parotid gland was significantly larger than that in left parotid gland. The mean volume of left parotid gland was significantly larger than that in right parotid gland. Mean length, width and volume of parotid gland were significantly greater in male compared to female. The length and width of parotid gland showed weak negative correlation with age. The volume of parotid gland showed weak positive correlation with age. Length and volume of parotid gland showed weak positive correlation with BMI.

Keywords: BMI, CT, PG, PNS, SMG.