Ultrasound of facial skin and soft tissues

Purpose: We present an overview of the possibilities of ultrasound in the facial region. Apart from tumorous lesions ultrasound is capable of depicting a large variety of inflammatory and traumatic alterations in this area.

Material and methods: Presented is the spectrum of sonographic possibilties as well as limits considering the current literature. Ilumminated and evaluated are the following sonographic assessments:

• pre- and postsurgical assessment of skin tumours using high resolution probes

• mid facial trauma of the osseous facial structures including the usefulness of ultrasound during reconstructive surgery

• inflammatory conditions as abscess and mastoiditis

• benign, malignant and angiomatous tumours of the parotid and buccal region

• application in follow up of implants as cochlear implants and rhinoplasties

Results: 10 years of our experience of ultrasound of the facial region are reviewed and compared with the recent literature.

Conclusion: In our opinion ultrasound is currently underestimated in its capabilities in the application of the facial region. Trauma cases, tumours lesions are in many cases diagnosed easily by ultrasound application. Ultrasound in its current image quality is capable to save other imaging modalities and we propagate and recommended its use in the head and neck area especially in the assessment of the face.