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The ability to identify the intraparotid facial nerve for locating parotid gland lesions in comparison to other indirect landmark methods: evaluation by 3.0 T MR imaging with surface coils

  • Head and Neck Radiology
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Abstract

Introduction

It is important to know whether a parotid gland lesion is in the superficial or deep lobe for preoperative planning. We aimed to investigate the ability of 3.0 T magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with surface coils to identify the intraparotid facial nerve and locate parotid gland lesions, in comparison to other indirect landmark methods.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated 50 consecutive patients with primary parotid gland lesions. The position of the facial nerve was determined by tracing the nerve in the stylomastoid foramen and then following it on sequential MR sections through the parotid gland. The retromandibular vein and the facial nerve line (FN line) were also identified. For each radiologist and each method, we determined the diagnostic ability for deep lobe lesions and superficial lobe lesions, as well as accuracy. These abilities were compared among the three methods using the Chi-square test with Yates' correction.

Results

Mean diagnostic ability for deep lobe lesions, the diagnostic ability for superficial lobe lesions, and accuracy were 92%, 86%, 87%, respectively, for the direct identification method; 67%, 89%, 86%, respectively, for the retromandibular vein method; and 25%, 99%, 90% , respectively, for the FN line method. The direct identification method had significantly higher diagnostic ability for deep lesions than the FN line method (P < 0.01), but significantly lower diagnostic ability for superficial lobe lesions than the FN line method (P < 0.01).

Conclusion

Direct identification of the intraparotid facial nerve enables parotid gland lesions to be correctly located, particularly those in the deep lobes.

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Acknowledgment

We are grateful to Eijiro Yamashita, B.S., Takuro Tanaka, B.S., Naoki Iwata, B.S., and Shota Sakimoto, B.S., for technical support in obtaining the high-quality MR images used in this study.

Conflict of interest statement

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Radiology, Department of Pathophysiological and Therapeutic Science, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, 36-1, Nishi-cho, Yonago, Tottori, 683-8504, Japan

    Mana Ishibashi, Shinya Fujii, Keisuke Nishihara, Eiji Matsusue, Kazuhiko Kodani, Toshio Kaminou & Toshihide Ogawa

  2. Division of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Medicine of Sensory and Motor Organs, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, 36-1, Nishi-cho, Yonago, Tottori, 683-8504, Japan

    Katsuyuki Kawamoto

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  1. Mana Ishibashi
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  2. Shinya Fujii
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  3. Katsuyuki Kawamoto
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  4. Keisuke Nishihara
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  5. Eiji Matsusue
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  7. Toshio Kaminou
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  8. Toshihide Ogawa
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Correspondence to Mana Ishibashi.

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Ishibashi, M., Fujii, S., Kawamoto, K. et al. The ability to identify the intraparotid facial nerve for locating parotid gland lesions in comparison to other indirect landmark methods: evaluation by 3.0 T MR imaging with surface coils. Neuroradiology 52, 1037–1045 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-010-0718-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-010-0718-1

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