Evaluation of Parotid Glands With Real-time Ultrasound Elastography in Children

Objectives-The aim of this study was to determine the strain index for parotid glands in children by using ultrasound elastography. Methods-In this prospective study, apparently healthy children were referred from the ear-nose-throat clinic to the radiology clinic for elastographic examinations. Conventional sonographic and elastographic examinations of the parotid glands were performed. A linear 5-12-MHz transducer was used to obtain the images. Results-A total of 54 children were enrolled in this prospective study. The normal mean strain index value +/- SD for the parotid glands was 1.24 +/- 0.67 (range, 0.29-1.39) regardless of sex. The mean age of girls was 7.42 +/- 2.94 years (range, 3-14 years), and the age of boys was 8.50 +/- 3.46 years (range, 4-16 years). The strain index values for the parotid glands in boys was 1.25 +/- 0.76, and in girls it was 1.22 +/- 0.55. There was no statistically significant difference in the strain index values between girls and boys (P=.986). There was no correlation between the strain index and age (r = 0.026) or body mass index (r = 0.066). Conclusions-This study determined the mean strain index values for apparently healthy children. Such information can serve as a baseline from which pathologic parotid diseases can be diagnosed with ultrasound elastography in combination with other sonographic criteria