ePoster
Presentations Description
Institution: Te Whatu Ora Waikato - Waikato, Aotearoa New Zealand
Aim: To highlight a diagnostic pitfall in parotid gland imaging, where migrated facial fillers can mimic parotid lesions. This case demonstrates the importance of correlating imaging findings with clinical history and considering alternative diagnoses when ultrasound results are ambiguous.
Methodology: We report the case of a 68-year-old woman who was incidentally found to have a right parotid cystic lesion. She presented with a community ultrasound showing a right parotid gland cyst with internal septations measuring 13 × 4 × 9 mm. The scan was performed to assess thyroid disease in the context of background hypothyroidism. Clinically, the parotid swelling was not palpable, making histopathological diagnosis challenging. The case was reviewed at a radiology meeting, and MRI was recommended for further evaluation.
Results: MRI of the neck revealed that the lesion represented migrated facial fillers administered nine years earlier. The migrated filler mimicked an intraglandular parotid lesion on ultrasound, with the main deposit extending ventrally toward the subcutaneous tissues. No true separation between the parotid gland and filler material was identified. Radiologists suspected that the appearance could be due to either extrinsic compression or incidental filler deposition rather than a true parotid pathology.
Conclusion: With the increasing popularity of facial fillers, clinicians should be aware that migrated filler material can closely resemble benign or malignant parotid lesions on ultrasound. A detailed cosmetic history is crucial when interpreting atypical parotid imaging. Advanced imaging such as MRI should be considered when ultrasound findings are inconclusive or inconsistent with clinical presentation.
Speakers
Authors
Authors
Dr Novell Shu Chyng Teoh -
