Ultrasonography as the method of incidental detection of mandible lesions.

Abstract

We present two cases of patients with bone cysts in which the suggestion of a bone lesion was made primarily on the basis of ultrasound examination. Examinations were performed with use of a 7.5 MHz linear probe on Siemens Elegra ultrasound scanner (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) with application of tissue harmonic imaging (THI) and power Doppler mode. On the basis of such features as uneven and irregular bone surface, widening and distorting of the mandible shape or visualization of the mass inside the bone on ultrasound examination, the presence of the bone tumor was suggested. Ultrasound examination may be the first method suggesting the presence of the unsuspected mandible tumor in patients referred to search for underlying pathology in soft tissues. During the examination of the soft tissues of the head and neck also the surface of bones should be each time carefully evaluated.