Intraoral ultrasonography of tongue mass lesions

Abstract

To demonstrate the usefulness of intraoral ultrasonography (IOUS) for tongue mass lesions, we analyzed surgery cases excluding squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and leukoplakia and compared IOUS findings and pathological findings. We used the Hospital Information System (HIS) and Radiology Information System (RIS) to evaluate IOUS and the pathological findings of patients who underwent surgeries for tongue masses in the past 11 years. Surgeries for the tongues were performed in 268 cases. Imaging examinations were carried out in 52 cases (19.4%) including 42(15.7%) by IOUS. The pathological results of surgeries were as follows; 36 cases were inflammatory lesions, 74 cases were tumors, 131 cases were hyperplasia, and 8 cases were cystic lesions. On the other hand, the patients received IOUS in the period was 87, and 42 of them had surgeries. In 32 cases (76.2%) of those, preoperative IOUS features matched with pathological results. Most of hemangiomas and lipomas could be diagnosed by IOUS alone. Intraoral ultrasonography of the tongue revealed the nature of the lesions including the border, size, location, depth, presence or absence of a capsule, and the internal structure including vascularity of the mass. The ultrasonographic findings well reflected the histological findings. IOUS is a simple and useful technique that provides additional information beyond inspection, clarifying the internal structure, blood flow, and relationships to the adjacent tissues. In this report, we indicated eleven representative cases compared to pathological findings (fibrous polyp, hemangioma, pyogenic granuloma, lipoma, liposarcoma, chondroma, lymphangioma, shwannoma, neurofibroma, pleomorphic adenoma, and amyloidosis) to indicate the usefulness of IOUS.