SIALOGRAPHY IN CATTLE: TECHNIQUE AND NORMAL APPEARANCE

Sialography of the bovine mandibular and parotid salivary glands was performed by injecting iodinated, water soluble contrast medium into the respective ducts. The anatomy of the above mentioned salivary glands was studied on cadaver heads. The mandibular duct enters the oral cavity on the ventral surface of the sublingual caruncles, which are located medial to the orifice of the ventral sublingual gland duct. The parotid gland duct enters the oral cavity on the cheek opposite the upper 2nd molar (Sth cheek tooth). Prior to applying sialography to live animals, the technique of catheterization, injection and radiography had to be developed, which was carried out on cadaver heads. Subsequently the technique was applied to 5 live animals. The animals were sedated, the mandibular and parotid ducts catheterized, and contrast medium was injected into each gland. Latero-lateral radiographs were made immediately after the injection. The normal bovine mandibular and parotid glands, as depicted on sialograms, have a multilobutated appearance in cadaver heads, but in the live animal only the ducts and their smaller branches could be identified. The parotid duct leaves the deep surface of the rostral end of the gland and courses along the border of the masseter muscle before it enters the mouth. The mean diameter of the duct was 4.2 ± 0.3 mm. The mandibular duct is composed of a rostral and a caudal branch. The caudal branch describes a semi circular turn prior to joining the rostral branch. The mean diameter of the main duct was 2.8 ± 0.4 mm.