Assessment of Age Related Dimensions of the Salivary and Thyroid Glands Using Three Dimensional Computed Tomography in Children
The parotid gland (PG) and submandibular gland (SMG) are major salivary glands (that are affected by various diseases including neoplasm, infection, and inflammation. These diseases cause hyperplastic or hypertrophic changes in the salivary glands. Enlargement of the thyroid gland (TG) results from hormonal or immunological stimulation and inflammatory, proliferative, infiltrative, or metabolic disorders. Estimation of the size and volume of these glands provide one element of diagnostic information. Salivary glands grow from birth to early adulthood in an approximately logarithmic growth pattern. An understanding of how these structures change in aging children is paramount for the differentiation of normal and pathological states. In addition, the gender of the patient must be considered for assessing the volume of the TG because the TG is somewhat heavier in women and may be affected by sex hormones. However, information about the age and sex related change in the normal size of healthy salivary and TGs is lacking. Computer tomography (CT) scan can successfully identify the PG and show changes that occur with development. The Assessment of Age Related Dimensions of the Salivary and Thyroid Glands Using Three Dimensional Computed Tomography in Children