Acinic cell carcinoma of the head and neck: Radiologic-pathologic correlation

Objective: To describe and correlate the imaging and pathologic findings of acinic cell carcinoma (ACC) in the head and neck. Methods: We reviewed the radiologic findings of 12 patients with pathologically proven ACC in the head and neck. They were 6 males and 6 females (ages: 5-75 years, mean 36 years) who undergoing computed tomography (CT, n = 9) and CT with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (n = 3). Results: The lesions in the superficial lobe of the parotid gland were solid (n = 7), cystic (n = 1), and cystic mass with mural nodule (n = 1) on CT. A parapharyngeal lesion was cystic mass with mural nodule, and a submandibular and a palate tumor were cystic lesions on CT. All solid masses in the parotid gland (n = 7) included focal low-attenuating portions on CT, which were microcyst, hemorrhage, or necrosis on pathologic examination. We could not find intratumoral calcifications or metastatic lymphadenopathy on imaging and histologic studies in all 12 cases. Internal hemorrhage on the MR images was seen in a parapharyngeal and a parotid lesion. Conclusion: Although ACC appears to have nonspecific imaging findings, familiarity with some imaging features can be helpful for differential diagnosis of head and neck tumors.