Pleomorphic adenoma is a common benign salivary gland neoplasm characterized by neoplastic proliferation of parenchymatous glandular cells along with myoepithelial components, having a malignant potentiality is the commonest benign tumor to arise in the minor salivary gland. CT-scan remains the reference examination. First line exploration of these lesions relies mainly on conventional radiography and ultrasound examination that are easily available.
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The main systemic causes were chronic kidney diseases, HIV infection, chronic alcoholism, elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase and autoimmune diseases.ฤก8 different etiologies of parotid space calcifications could be identified. The main non-tumoral local causes included vascular malformations and calcified parotid lymph nodes. The main tumoral local causes were pleomorphic adenomas, salivary duct carcinomas and adenocarcinomas. Tumoral and non tumoral local causes and systemic causes of parotid calcification were found. Twenty articles met the inclusion criterions. Articles reporting about microscopic calcifications and who were not dealing with parotid calcifications were excluded.
![mass obliteration mass obliteration](http://img.wennermedia.com/920-width/napalm-death-c972702f-1e52-4a66-b9b6-e505fb23187c.jpg)
We conducted an exhaustive review of the literature by mean of PubMed, using the keywords "parotid" and "calcification" and limiting our analysis to the original articles in humans published in English and in French. The aim of our study was to point out the non lithiasic causes of calcifications in the parotid space.
![mass obliteration mass obliteration](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kCErXa1zXkA/maxresdefault.jpg)
However, there are many other less-known causes. Parotid lithiasis is the main cause of calcifications in the parotid space.