13/01/2025
🧪 Clinical Case in Magnetic Resonance Imaging
📢 Follow-up to last post teaser:
In the previous post, we shared two coronal T2 TSE images, one of which revealed a formation in the left submandibular region.
Here is the explanation of the case.
📋 Clinical Presentation:
The examination was performed on a Philips 1T open vertical-field scanner.
An adult female patient reported a "bothersome lump" palpable in the submandibular region, which became more pronounced during specific tongue movements. Standard pre-contrast images did not fully clarify the origin of the symptom.
🛠 Technical Approach:
To improve diagnostic clarity, we asked the patient to replicate the tongue movement that intensified both the sensation and visibility of the lump. This approach yielded more illustrative images, particularly valuable for the case's iconography.
📊 Results (from Radiologist’s report):
The images acquired during the forced movement revealed:
- A slight asymmetry between the sublingual glands, with the left one herniating through a discontinuity of approximately 1 cm in the mylohyoid muscle (an anatomical variant).
- During the movement, the left sublingual gland shifted inferiorly into the submandibular space, extending nearly 1 cm beyond the inferior margin of the left hemimandible and displacing the anterior belly of the digastric muscle.
💡 Conclusions:
This case highlights the importance of tailoring imaging protocols: a small adjustment, such as asking the patient to perform a specific maneuver, can make the images clearer and support the entire clinical team's work.
