Parotid hemangioma

Hemangiomas, one of the most common childhood neoplasms are benign self involuting tumors of endothelial cells that line the blood vessels. They are of three types: capillary, cavernous and mixed [1]. Capillary hemangiomas of infancy are bright red, protuberant, and compressible lesions that are sometimes described as “strawberry marks” . They are most often located on the face, scalp, back, and anterior chest wall. They are usually seen during birth or infancy and they are five times more common in females than in males, but they are apparent at birth in only 20% of those affected in most cases [2]. They have a characteristic history of rapid proliferation and slow spontaneous involution. Cavernous or mixed hemangiomas can infiltrate and recur after surgery or sclerosing therapy.

On ultrasound images, capillary hemangiomas are generally solid hypoechoic masses and on color Doppler they show hypervascularity . On CT scans, they usually appear as enhancing masses that often contain calcified phleboliths [2]. On T1- weightes images they display intermediate signal and on T2- weighted MR images they show high signal intensity with flow voids within that represent feeding or draining vessels. [3].
Most appropriate management for such neoplasms is conservative therapy.