Clinical and Sialographic Imaging Features of 131I Radiation-induced Submandibular Gland Sialadenitis.

PURPOSE: 131I radiation-induced sialadenitis is the most frequent complication of 131I treatment for papillary thyroid carcinoma, but little is known about 131I radiation-induced submandibular gland sialadenitis. The purpose of this study was to compare and contrast the clinical and sialographic imaging features of 131I radiation-induced submandibular gland sialadenitis to 131I radiation-induced parotitis.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

This retrospective cross-sectional study included patients with 131I radiation-induced submandibular gland sialadenitis and parotitis. Clinical records and sialographic image features were evaluated. The predictor variables included age at the time of diagnosis, gender, course of the disease, site of symptoms, and sialographic image grades. The outcome variable was the location of sialadenitis. A student t-test was conducted to analyze the associations between predictor variables and the outcome.

RESULTS

The sample was composed of 4 patients with submandibular gland sialadenitis (100% female), 28 with parotitis (85.7% female), and 1 with submandibular gland sialadenitis and parotitis (P < .05). The occurrence of bilateral glands dysfunction was less often in submandibular glands (SMG: 1/4; PG: 19/28). The age and course of disease were not different between submandibular gland sialadenitis and parotitis (Age, SMG: 46.00 ± 13.59 years; PG: 50.04 ± 10.71 years, P > .05; Course of the disease, SMG: 11.00 ± 16.69 months; PG: 6.96 ± 11.18 months, P > .05). Radiographically, 7 of 16 patients with parotitis were identified as grade 2 and 9 patients as grade 3. In 3 patients with submandibular gland sialadenitis, 1 patient was identified as grade 2 and 2 patients as grade 3. The postoperative pathological results showed that the proliferation of glandular tissue from the hilum of the submandibular gland caused duct stenosis.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest 131I radiation-induced submandibular gland sialadenitis has a lower incidence compared with parotitis and 131I radiation-induced submandibular gland sialadenitis might be related to duct stenosis caused by proliferative glandular tissue after 131I radiation treatment.