Ultrasonography in the Field of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Lesions

Abstract

The recent advances in ultrasonography, especially improvements in close-range spatial resolution in the last two decades, make it possible to gain much more information from the body, by allowing visualization of tissue constructions, organ movements and fine blood flow. These improvements could contribute to rapid improvement of head and neck ultrasonography.

Ultrasonography has many advantages over other diagnostic imaging modalities: it is non-invasive and radiation-free, it does not require troublesome pre-treatment preparations, it allows the possibility of real-time dynamic assessment and portability, it provides accurate guidance for interventional procedures, and it is cost-effective.

Based on our long experience and numerous studies of the clinical application of ultrasonography, we focused on the standardization of head and neck ultrasonography, systematic ultrasound examination methods, usefulness of ultrasonography in the primary care of patients presenting with neck mass or swelling, and the importance of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of salivary duct tumors and lymph node metastasis from head and neck cancer.