Advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques for structural and functional assessment of salivary glands

Background Diagnostic paradigms for salivary gland disorders have undergone a radical transformation, shifting from purely morphological descriptions toward multi-parametric tissue characterization. This review evaluates the clinical efficacy of advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, specifically quantitative T2 mapping and arterial spin labelling (ASL), in order to provide objective biomarkers for glandular pathophysiology. The use of pseudocontinuous ASL (pCASL) for non-invasive perfusion assessment and multi-dynamic multi-echo (MDME) sequences for quantitative mapping was highlighted in a methodical synthesis of recent research. Quantitative T2 mapping demonstrates high diagnostic accuracy in identifying glandular dysfunction; patients with hyposalivation exhibit significantly elevated T2 relaxation times (mean 91.85 ± 8.24 ms) compared to healthy controls (mean 80.69 ± 6.42 ms, p < 0.0001). ASL imaging reveals that parotid glands in Sjögren’s syndrome are hyperemic at rest (59.2 ± 22.8 mL/min/100g) but shows dysfunctional microvascular regulation after stimulation. Furthermore, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values effectively differentiate pleomorphic adenomas (> 1.4 × 10–3 mm 2 /s) from malignant lesions. Conclusions Advanced MRI provides robust, non-invasive metrics for monitoring radiation-induced damage and assessing the restorative impact of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). By facilitating the shift to precision radiology in head and neck medicine, these technologies greatly improve patient quality of life and therapeutic planning.