Ultrasound as a diagnostic aid in head and neck lesions

This article reviewed the diagnostic values of ultrasound in head and neck lesions with a view to emphasising its importance to Maxillo-Facial Surgeons in Nigeria.

A computerised literature search using MEDLINE was conducted for publications on ultrasonography in head and neck region. Mesh phrases used in the search were: ultrasound and head and neck; ultrasound and oral lesions.

Ultrasound has been found to be a reliable and sensitive diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of soft tissue cysts, vascular neoplasms, deep neck abscesses, palatal tumours, salivary gland diseases, fractures of facial bone, solid and cystic lesions of the jaws, temporomandibular joint pathology, head and neck cancer and nodal metastases. Its sensitivity and specificity for some lesions have been found to be comparable to those of computerised tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Ultrasound is an established valuable diagnostic tool for head and neck lesions. The success of ultrasonography is highly dependent on the frequency of the probe, the higher the resolution the better the accuracy. Its advantages include being non-invasive, without any known deleterious biological effect, rapid, painless, inexpensive and easily reproducible.