Head and neck radiology Salivary-gland lesions in HIVlpositive patients

many HIV-seropositive patients [1, 2]. The study of parotid tissue in these patients by in situ hybridization has confirmed the presence of HIV RNA in inflammatory cells of parotid specimens [3]. Chronic enlargement of salivary glands (and mainly of parotid glands) is determined by a lesion of the gland, often with concomitant lymph-node enlargement within the capsule of the gland and submerged in the glandular parenchyma. Enlargement of parotid and submandibular glands has been attributed to a lymphoepithelial infiltration with formation of cysts in HIV-positive patients [4, 5]. The present study is based on the observation of salivary-gland lesions in some HIV-positive patients by echographic investigations, because this kind of study is the most suitable for evaluation of such lesions for the rapidity of execution and low cost.