Usefulness of a Novel Ultrasonographic Classification Based on Anechoic Area Patterns for Differentiating Warthin Tumors from Pleomorphic Adenomas of the Parotid Gland

Background Ultrasonographic homogeneity is an important differential finding between Warthin tumor and pleomorphic adenoma, two types of benign parotid gland tumors, with the former likely to be heterogeneous and the latter homogeneous. However, differences in the performance of ultrasound machines or the homogeneity cut-off level affect the judgment of ultrasonographic homogeneity. Therefore, in this study, we adopted a novel system for classifying the composition of tumors via ultrasonography, using anechoic area as a substitute for differences in homogeneity to differentiate between Warthin tumors and pleomorphic adenomas. Methods We evaluated 68 tumors that were histopathologically diagnosed as Warthin tumor or pleomorphic adenoma between July 2009 and November 2015. Ultrasonographic images of the tumors were evaluated on the basis of key differentiating features, including features on B-mode imaging and color Doppler imaging. Additionally, the tumors were classified into four groups based on anechoic area, and findings were compared between Warthin tumors and pleomorphic adenomas. Results While 38 of the tumors were pleomorphic adenomas, 30 were Warthin tumors. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy for detection of Warthin tumors using our novel classification system were 73.3%, 76.3%, 71.0%, 78.4% and 75.0%, respectively. Compared to pleomorphic adenomas, Warthin tumors showed large or sponge-like anechoic areas, rich vascularization and an oval shape even at large tumor sizes, and the difference was significant. On defining Warthin tumor as a tumor demonstrating two or more of the findings noted above, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy for its detection were 73.3%, 84.2%, 78.6%, 80.0% and 79.4%, respectively. Conclusion Our novel classification system based on anechoic area patterns demonstrated by the tumors had high sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy for differentiating Warthin tumors from pleomorphic adenomas.