Abstract：Objective: To analyze the MRI and CT features of parotid hemangiomas(PHS) in infants and young children. Methods: MRI(9/21) and CT(12/21) features and clinical data of 21 cases of PHS were analyzed retrospectively, all cases were proved by pathology. Results: In the 21 cases of PHS, 10 were male, and 11 were female. 18 cases(86%) less than 1 year old, 3 cases(14%) were older than 1 year old. Images of all these cases showed a single lesion with sharp edge, the centers of these were located in the superficial lobe of the parotid; 9(43%) lesions involved the deep lobe, 6 lesions were oval(29%) and 15(71%) lobulated. CT findings showed that the lesions were homogeneous in density with CT value of (36.4±5.9) HU; all lesions had no liquefied necrotic area. The lesion was markedly enhanced on contrast enhanced CT (from 36 HU to 147 HU). Nine cases had MRI, FSE T1WI presented isointense signal compared to masseter muscle; FSE T2WI and fat suppression sequences presented a heterogeneous high signal; all lesions presented venous flow void signal; enhanced examination showed significant enhancement. Two cases were misdiagnosed as lymphoma; 1 was misdiagnosed as pleomorphic adenoma; 12 cases were generally diagnosed as benign masses; 6 cases were correctly diagnosed as hemangioma. Conclusion: If a lesion located in the parotid gland with benign characteristics found in infants and protruded out of the surface of the parotid gland when it grew larger and was significantly enhanced on contrast enhanced examination, the most probable diagnosis should be hemangioma.
2013, Vol. 24 
