Micromorphology and Chemical Composition of a Sialolith in the Submandibular Gland Duct

Abstract

Sialolith is one of the most common pathologic conditions found in the salivary glands. The mechanisms responsible for the formation of sialoliths have not been elucidated so far. In this article, the chemical composition and micromorphology of a sialolith of a 58-year old female patient suffering from chronic sialoadenitis of the submandibular gland was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). In a SEM evaluation, the highly mineralized amorphous core surrounded by lamellar and concentric structures was revealed, however no foreign body, organic material, or signs of microorganism were observed in the core of the sialolith. EDX analysis showed the central core was composed of only Ca, O and P, and that a high level of C was detected near the central area as well. These results indicated that the inorganic composition of the sialolith was hydroxyapatite crystals, and that inorganic and organic substances existed around the central cores. This study suggests that the sialolith was composed mainly of hydroxyapatite crystals and the formation of the nucleus of the sialolith in the submandibular gland duct was secondary to sialadenitis, which favors the growth of an inorganic crystalline nucleus.