Purpose: To evaluate the ultrasonographic internal architecture of enlarged cervical lymphnodes from oral carcinoma using the modified complexity value (MCV), and to determine if the modified complexity value is a valid diagnostic parameter for differentiating between metastatic and nonmetastatic lymphnodes. Subjects and Methods: An ellipsoid ultrasonographic phantom and 50 enlarged cervical lymphnodes (metastasis, 27; nonmetastasis, 23) were examined with a linear ultrasound scanner. Two hundred fifty-six grayscale images were reconstructed from the 16 grayscale images. Modified complexity value was calculated by dividing the square of the total length pixels by the total area of the images at the same density level in the region of interest. Definite diagnosis of the nodes was obtained by histologic examination after neck dissection. Results and Discussion: Modified complexity values under different conditions of the phantom did not differ from one another. The sum of the modified complexity values of the metastatic lymphnodes was higher than that of the nonmetastatic lymphnodes. Conclusion: The modified complexity value of the lymphnode ultrasonogram is a useful parameter for differentiating between metastatic and nonmetastatic enlargement in cervical lymphadenopathy in the oral carcinoma.

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Purpose. To evaluate the utility of abdominal ultrasonography carried out using hand-carried devices in the emergency room. Materials and Methods. We reviewed records of abdominal ultrasonography using either of two different types of hand-carried devices by the first author in nontraumatic patients who presented to the emergency department. We chose 144 consecutive patients whose lesions had not been previously identified but were evaluated using imaging modalities other than plain radiography, endoscopy, or surgery after the ultrasonographic examination had been carried out. We retrospectively evaluated the accuracy of identifying abdominal lesions with the hand-carried devices. Results. The ultrasonographic findings of 116 (81%) cases agreed with the final diagnoses on the parts in which primary or main lesions were located; those of 28 (19%) cases did not. Twenty-five of the 28 examinations failed to detect the lesions, but 4 of the 25 examinations correctly detected significant indirect findings that contributed to the final diagnoses. Only 3 of the 28 examinations yielded incorrect results. Conclusion. Abdominal ultrasonography performed with the hand-carried devices after noting the patient′s history and carrying out a physical examination in the emergency room is useful in identifying the sites of primary or main lesions.

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