[The etiology of sialolithiasis].

The authors have revealed dilatation of the excretory ducts of salivary glands involved in sialolithiasis and of other salivary glands in a patient. A hypothesis on the primary etiological role of ductal ectasia in the development of sialolithiasis in case some other additional factors are present is put forward. The authors recommend resorting to computer-aided tomography and functional digital subtraction sialography of the salivary glands for the diagnosis of sialolithiasis and discuss the advantages of these methods in comparison with other ones.