A case of thrombosis mimicking a buccal tumour: usefulness of MRI

Vascular Abnormalities of the Parotid Region: An Uncommon Presentation of a Common Condition—A Case Series

A variety of non-neoplastic diseases and benign and malignant lesions may involve parotid glands. In clinical practice, effective diagnosis is crucial to ensure proper treatment and achieve a good therapeutic effect. Unclear anamnesis and short medical history are factors that make diagnosis difficult, especially when cancer should be excluded. We present a case series of four patients who reported to the outpatient clinic with a unilateral nodule in the parotid region. The clinical presentation prevented an unequivocal diagnosis. The suspicion of a neoplastic disease resulted in profound diagnostics, including repeated cytology, ultrasound and magnetic resonance examination. Combining all the acquired information and follow-up, or a histopathologic examination, facilitated the final diagnosis. In all cases, thrombosis was diagnosed. We then analysed the diagnostic process and the associated difficulties. When thrombosis in vascular malformation occurs in the parotid region, it may have an unclear clinical and radiological presentation. Such an image can imitate both benign and malignant tumours. Ambiguous imaging in conjunction with blood cells in cytology should result in the inclusion of thrombosis in vascular malformations in the differential diagnosis.

Relationship between magnetic resonance imaging and histopathologic findings in thrombosis in the oral and maxillofacial region: a case report

Histopathologic changes are observed during the clinical course of thrombosis, and the evaluation of such changes by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) might enhance the accuracy of qualitative diagnosis of the disease. The relationship between histopathologic and MRI findings in the chronic phase of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) that developed in the masseter muscle of a 50-year-old Japanese female patient is described. Two regions with different MRI signal intensities were identified, and a 3-layer structure was observed by microscopy. The distinct MRI regions correlated with the microscopic structure, suggesting that MRI can be used for qualitative imaging of a maxillofacial thrombus.