Clinical Diagnostic Application of Contrast‐Enhanced Ultrasound in Focal Lesions of the Salivary Glands

Objectives To evaluate the clinical diagnostic value of contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for focal benign and malignant lesions of the salivary glands, as well as for common benign lesions. Methods A total of 91 patients with focal lesions of the salivary glands were included in this study. In this study, CEUS was used to study the differential diagnosis of focal benign and malignant lesions of the salivary gland and the most common benign tumors, that is, pleomorphic adenoma (PA) and adenolymphoma. Results The differences between focal benign and malignant lesions in the salivary glands were statistically significant ( P < .05) in terms of qualitative CEUS indicators, enhancement pattern, enhancement homogeneity, enhancement margin, and enhanced lesion size, whereas the differences were not statistically significant ( P > .05) in terms of wash‐in and wash‐out pattern, enhancement degree. Blurred margins and increased size of the lesion after enhancement are two CEUS features independently associated with focal malignant lesions of the salivary gland. The differences between salivary gland PA and adenolymphoma were statistically significant ( P < .05) in terms of wash‐in pattern, enhancement degree, enhancement homogeneity, and enhancement pattern, but not in terms of wash‐out pattern, enhancement margin, and enhanced lesion size ( P > .05). Conclusions As an economical, convenient, and safe imaging method, CEUS has important clinical value in distinguishing benign and malignant salivary glands.