[Ultrasound examination of hidradenitis suppurativa]

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a debilitating chronic, recurrent, inflammatory cutaneous disease of the hair follicle that usually presents with painful, deep and inflamed lesions in the areas of the body with apocrine glands, most frequently the axillary, groin and anogenital regions. This entity is difficult to manage since it can be difficult to determine the true nature and extension of the lesions. Cutaneous ultrasound allows real-time visualization of the cutaneous structures under examination, defining the type of lesion, its anatomical extension, and the degree of inflammatory activity, which affects adequate patient management. The present review analyses the importance of ultrasound in the assessment of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa.