[Today's importance of ultrasound in ENT].

Abstract

Since ultrasound has been established for diagnosis in ENT several new techniques have been introduced. But also ultrasonography has technically developed and thus has earned even more importance and indications. This was to be shown by this paper as well as the advantages and pitfalls. Ultrasound is quite useful in inflammatory, infectious and tumor pathology in order to make a better diagnosis or staging and to help the surgeon for punture or incision of a pathologic lesion (cytology, bacteriology, drainage). Especially in ENT oncology and post-treatment follow up ultrasound is a very precious technique. Ultrasound can be realized by the ENT specialist himself anywhere and at any time. It is a non aggressive, non invasive technique and its cost is relatively low. Unfortunately by itself it is not very performant to distinguish benign and malignant lesions. But its specificity can be considerably enhanced by combinating it with cytology (UGFNAB, ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration biopsy). Another important field of ultrasound is the examination of salivary glands.