Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography 27(3) 131 –134

Hemangiomas of the parotid glands are generally divided into the capillary and the deeper cavernous types. How-ever, the third kind of angiomatous lesion is the heman-gioendothelioma, which occurs most frequently in newborns and usually shows progressive enlargement without signs of inflammation. Because of its characteristic growth pattern, the parotid tumor has been variously referred to as invasive hemangioma or benign hemangio-endothelioma (HAE).1 Hemangioendothelioma is a distinct clinicopatholo-gical entity. Typically at the age of two and four months, infants present with a progressively increasing mass on the lateral aspect of the face. Often, this mass is either very small or unnoticed at birth. HAE is self-limiting, show-ing spontaneous regression in most cases, and does not warrant surgical intervention. Until recently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was advocated as the best imag-ing modality for diagnosis.2 However, with the advent of high-frequency transducers that can provide a high level of resolution, HAE in classical cases can be diag-nosed using sonography alone. In the appropriate clini-cal setting with characteristic sonographic features, a biopsy is not required for making a diagnosis. Moreover, sonography is readily available at low cost, does not require sedation, and can be useful in follow-up. Thus, it merits being the primary line of investigation for HAE, more so in developing countries such as India, wher