Sialolithiasis in two areas of the upper lip

Objective

Minor salivary gland sialolithiasis occurs in ~1 % of all sialolithiasis cases. We report a case of sialolithiasis considered to have occurred in the minor salivary gland in two areas of the upper lip, with special emphasis on the findings from image examinations.

Case report

A 33-year-old male complained of a painless mass on the left upper lip. At the first examination, there was a nodular, hard swelling that involved the left cuspid area of the upper lip. Although a panoramic radiograph revealed no abnormality, an intraoral radiograph showed a small radiopaque body with a laminar pattern. Computed tomography images indicated that a calcified body was present in two areas of the upper lip. On magnetic resonance imaging, the lesion was observed as a lower-signal area than the surrounding soft tissue. The mass had a high signal in the central area in the T2 and short T1 inversion recovery images. The sonogram showed a hypoechoic mass with an echogenic structure in the central area. An excisional biopsy of the left upper lip was performed under local anesthesia. A well-demarcated mass with a calcified body was enucleated. The histopathologic diagnosis was sialoadenitis with sialolithiasis.

Conclusion

Most cases of minor salivary gland sialolithiasis are solitary, with multiple sialolithiasis being extremely rare. Sonograms are useful in the diagnosis of minor salivary gland sialolithiasis. Careful imaging examination is necessary to identify multiple lesions and select appropriate treatments.