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Frequency and malignancy rate of incidental focal salivary gland lesions identified by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose–positron emission tomography

  • Head and Neck
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Abstract

Purpose

We aimed to evaluate the frequency and malignancy rate of incidental salivary gland lesions (ISGLs) in patients undergoing 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)–positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT).

Methods

Using a predefined algorithm, all descriptions of FDG–PET/CT scans performed in the North Denmark Region at the Department of Nuclear Medicine, Aalborg University Hospital from 1.12 2009 to 31.12 2019 were electronically searched for focal uptake in one or more salivary glands.

Results

In total, 28,362 FDG–PET/CT scans were performed in the study period. ISGLs were found in 197 (0.7%). A total of 193 (98%) had parotid gland ISGL, and four (2%) had submandibular ISGL. No sublingual lesions were found. Ultimately, 117 patients (60%) were referred to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery for evaluation. Fine needle aspiration biopsy was performed in 97 patients, and the most frequent cytopathology was Warthin’s tumour (n = 62). Two patients had verified malignancy: one with histopathologically proven acinic cell carcinoma and one with cytopathologically proven metastasis from an oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Conclusions

Incidental salivary gland findings on FDG–PET/CT are rare, and the risk of malignancy is low. Patients with ISGL may be evaluated secondary to the primary disease, but special attention should be given to patients with prior or known head-and-neck malignancies and patients with symptoms from the salivary glands, including swelling.

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Acknowledgements

Flow diagrams were designed using the Biorender.com application.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark

    Christian Sander Danstrup & Nina Munk Lyhne

  2. Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark

    Christian Sander Danstrup, Nina Munk Lyhne & Helle Damgaard Zacho

  3. Clinical Cancer Research Center, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark

    Christian Sander Danstrup & Helle Damgaard Zacho

  4. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark

    Adrienn Kovacsne, Rune Fisker & Helle Damgaard Zacho

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  1. Christian Sander Danstrup
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  2. Nina Munk Lyhne
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Correspondence to Christian Sander Danstrup.

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Danstrup, C.S., Lyhne, N.M., Kovacsne, A. et al. Frequency and malignancy rate of incidental focal salivary gland lesions identified by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose–positron emission tomography. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 280, 357–364 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-022-07581-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-022-07581-7

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