Soft tissue ultrasound is an echographic examination of the skin, subcutaneous fat, tendons, ligaments, muscles, nerve trunks. It is used in the diagnosis of tumor formations, inflammatory diseases, purulent foci, injuries and other pathological changes in the soft tissues of the face and neck, trunk, limbs. The soft tissues of the body also include superficial lymph nodes and salivary glands, but their ultrasound examination is usually separated into separate procedures.
Indications
Soft tissue ultrasound can be prescribed both to clarify the diagnosis and to monitor the effectiveness of conservative therapy or the results of surgical treatment. In this regard, another advantageous advantage of echography is the possibility of its repeated repetition without any harm to health. The main indications for ultrasound may be associated with the presence of tumor formation of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, purulent foci in soft tissues; inflammatory lesion or traumatic damage to the muscles and ligamentous apparatus. With these pathological processes, patients may be disturbed by painful sensations, swelling, swelling, hyperemia, and other symptoms.
Ultrasound of skin and subcutaneous neoplasms is prescribed for visible changes in the skin or palpable seals of subcutaneous fat. Most often, using sonography, dermatofibromas, atheromas, lipomas, hemangiomas, angiolipomas are detected. Benign tumors have clear boundaries and a homogeneous structure. Ultrasound imaging of deeply located formations is also possible – hygrom, rhabdomyoma, chondrome, schwann, neurofibrom. Malignant neoplasms of soft tissues are characterized by blurred contours and heterogeneous structure; most often they are represented by liposarcoma.
Ultrasound has proven informative value for injuries and post-traumatic changes in soft tissues. With the help of ultrasound diagnostics, intracranial hematomas, stretching of muscles, damage to ligaments and tendons, scarring changes can be removed. Ultrasound may indicate the presence of inflammatory pathology of striated muscles (myositis) and ligamentous tendon apparatus (tendinitis), rheumatic diseases. The study helps to identify inflammatory infiltrates in tissues, closed or spilled purulent processes (abscesses, phlegmons). Ultrasound for abdominal hernias reveals a defect in the abdominal wall and determines the contents of the hernial sac (intestinal loops, omentum).
Methodology of conducting
Soft tissue ultrasound is performed without prior preparation. A prerequisite for diagnosis is the presence of intact skin. The patient’s position depends on the echo scanning area. Before the procedure, you will need to release the desired area of the body from clothes. To visualize soft tissues, the doctor applies a gel to the skin and moves the sensor of the ultrasound device along the examined body surface. When examining the area of interest, the specialist pays attention to the size of the tissue formation, its structure, density, depth of location, the presence of a liquid component, etc. When a neoplasm is detected, its nature, clarity of contours, and blood flow parameters are examined. The results are drawn up in the form of a protocol indicating the detected changes.
