[Ultrasound, computerized and nuclear magnetic resonance tomography of soft tissue processes of the head and neck]

14 patients with a space-occupying growth in the head and neck region were examined via sonography, CT and MR to explore and demonstrate by means of a prospective comparative study the possibilities offered by these three imaging methods. Stages are best diagnosed by means of sonography; the leading role of this method is undisputed. To clarify sonographically unclear findings and especially in pre-surgery planning, MR offers advantages over CT on account of the high soft-part contrast and multiplanar visualisation. However, it is impossible or very difficult to differentiate abscesses and lymphadenitides from malignant growths with these three methods solely on the basis of image-morphological criteria.