Lymph nodes & spleen, nonlymphoma
Ectopic tissue / inclusions
Salivary gland
Last author update: 1 July 2014
Last staff update: 29 July 2022
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PubMed Search: Salivary gland inclusions [title]
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Terminology | Epidemiology | Sites | Pathophysiology | Clinical features | Prognostic factors | Case reports | Treatment | Clinical images | Gross description | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Differential diagnosis | Additional referencesCite this page: Balakrishna J, Sharabi A. Salivary gland. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/lymphnodessalivaryglandinclusions.html. Accessed February 7th, 2023.
Definition / general
- Benign salivary gland structures in lymph nodes
- Includes ducts and acini
Terminology
- Salivary gland inclusions
- Ectopic salivary tissue
- Heterotropic salivary gland tissue
Epidemiology
- Common incidental finding
Sites
- Most common in upper cervical lymph nodes
- Rarely - thoracic, mediastinal lymph nodes
Pathophysiology
- Considered a normal event related to the embryology of the region
Clinical features
- None - incidental finding
- Enlarged lymph nodes
Prognostic factors
- Benign with no significance
- May undergo diseases of salivary glands including neoplastic processes - Warthin tumor is most common tumor
Case reports
- 55 year old woman with sialometaplasia arising in ectopic salivary gland ductal inclusions (J Clin Pathol 2004;57:1335)
- 60 year old man with salivary gland tissue in cervical lymph nodes (Laryngorhinootologie 2007;86:44)
- 68 year old woman with benign salivary gland tissue inclusion in a pulmonary hilar lymph node (Int J Surg Pathol 2011;19:382)
- Proliferative sialometaplasia arising in an intraparotid lymph node (Am J Clin Pathol 1986;86:116)
Treatment
- Usually none, but may be indicated based on clinical situation
Clinical images
Images hosted on other servers:
Circumscribed mass lesions due to
sialometaplasia arising in ectopic
salivary gland ductal inclusions
Gross description
- Normal / enlarged lymph nodes
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Both ducts and acini are usually present
- Benign ducts are lined by double layer of epithelium and myoepithelium
- Benign acini have zymogen granules
Microscopic (histologic) images
AFIP images
Salivary gland inclusion in lymph node
Images hosted on other servers:
Inclusions undergoing sialometaplasia show extensive squamous metaplasia
Inclusions with sialometaplasia: SMA
Differential diagnosis
