피하 결절들에 대한 초음파 검사의 유용성 연구 = Study for Usefulness of Ultrasonography in the Evaluation of Subcutaneous Nodules피하 결절들에 대한 초음파 검사의 유용성 연구

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Background: Ultrasonographic imaging is very useful tool to determine various neoplasms and inflammatory changes of the human body. In addition, thanks to the use of various frequencies in ultrasonography, subcutaneous and some dermal lesions can be evaluated without invasive procedures such as a biopsy. Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the usefulness of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of subcutaneous nodules. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 29 patients with subcutaneous nodules and analyzed the correlation between ultrasonographic findings and final biopsy findings. The HDI-5000 ultrasonography system (Philips, Eindhoven, Netherlands) with variable probes (from 5 to 12 MHz) was used in this study. Results: In 27 patients, ultrasonographic findings were matched with final biopsy findings. One pilomatricoma was misdiagnosed as a cyst and one hemangioma as lipoma. It was very interesting to find that two malignant tumors and one subcutaneous granuloma annulare were detected by ultrasonographic examination in the absence of any clinical clues. Conclusion: Ultrasonography is a very useful, noninvasive, easy to apply, and relatively predictive tool for the evaluation of subcutaneous nodules. Although a skin biopsy is necessary for final diagnosis, ultrasonography would be a good substitute in the diagnosis of subcutaneous nodules when the patient refuses a skin biopsy and the nodule is located in a highly cosmetic area. (Korean J Dermatol 2007;45(6):529∼533)