The role of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of oral and maxillofacial disease

Objective: Ultrasonography, as a diagnostic tool, constitutes a non-invasive, cost-effective, readily-available and repeatable imaging technique. Ultrasonography has been used as a means of diagnosing various medical conditions for many years. However, in the field of maxillofacial surgery it represents a relatively new aid in the diagnosis of various diseases affecting the oral and maxillofacial regions. These include: infection, soft-tissue related diseases and vascular anomalies which can be detected using Doppler ultrasonography. This article presents four cases, in which ultrasonography was employed to confirm diagnoses and act as a guide to treatment. Methods: Four cases of soft tissue swelling and enlargement were diagnosed with the aid of ultrasonography, namely: a submasseteric abscess, a nasolabial cyst, a dermoid cyst and a left buccal space abscess caused by a foreign body (i.e. a fish bone). Result: In the case of a submasseteric abscess, ultrasonography was used in confirming the diagnosis and therapy, while determining the maximal point of the abscess. In the cases of both cysts, ultrasonography highlighted well-defined cystic lesions with internal echo showing fluid accumulation, while in the buccal space abscess, an ultrasonogram confirmed the exact location of the fish bone. Conclusion: Ultrasonography is a quick, widely-available, relatively inexpensive, painless procedure which can be repeated as often as necessary without risk to the patient. Thus, ultrasonography is a valuable diagnostic aid to the oral and maxillofacial surgeon in achieving early and accurate diagnosis.