Clinical Application of Ultrasonograhy for Various Diseases in Oral and Maxillofacial Regions

Imaging examinations should be done for various kinds of lesions in the oral and maxillofacial region. The anatomy of this region is complex and various diseases may occur. Recent developments in medical imaging modalities have led to diagnostic improvements in the dental field. In fact, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, and positron emission computed tomography have been applied for various diseases in the oral and maxillofacial region. Among these modalities, ultrasonography should be the first choice for soft tissue-related diseases in the region because it is noninvasive and easy to use. In particular, ultrasonography is a very useful modality for the diagnosis of metastatic lymph nodes and salivary gland-related diseases. In addition, the clinical application of Doppler and/or elastography could also improve diagnostic accuracy for various diseases in the oral and maxillofacial region, and the application of ultrasonography to the dental field could be extended. In the present review, we explain the usefulness of ultrasonography for various diseases in the oral and maxillofacial region.