e., (1) surface of mucosa, (2) mucosal layer, (3) submucosal layer and muscle layers demonstrated on intraoral US [19] (Fig. 3). So, I would like to cite our study regarding the clinical significance of the sonographic ISRIB cost feature of the three-layer structure for evaluation of tumor invasion of superficial carcinoma of the tongue. From January 2005 to September 2006, 8 patients with superficial carcinoma of the tongue (squamous cell carcinoma, tumor thickness of 5 mm or less) were enrolled in the study. The patients consisted of 5 males and 3 females and the

age ranged from 44 to 71 years, with a mean age of 63 years. The average duration between the preoperative intraoral US and the tumor resection was 6 days (range: 2–13 days). Preoperative intraoral US examination was performed using a small “hockey stick” probe. We also used an acoustic coupling polymer gel with a thickness of 3 mm or 10 mm in order to obtain fine image

quality. A side-by-side comparison was performed between the sonographic findings and the histopathological findings. The histopathological examination was performed on all patients. As a result of the study, superficial carcinoma was clearly interpreted as a thickened mucosal layer in every patient on intraoral US. Additionally, an ill-defined hypoechoic area was also observed under the thickened mucosal layer. Histopathologically, inflammatory cellular SCR7 datasheet infiltration was observed corresponding to the hypoechoic area. In some instances, the blood flow signal was observed at the bottom of the thickened www.selleck.co.jp/products/MLN-2238.html mucosal layer

on power Doppler imaging. We consider that the blood flow signal at the bottom of the thickened mucosal layer might be one of the peculiar findings suggesting superficial carcinoma. In conclusion, the sonographic feature of the three-layer structure of tongue mucosa demonstrated on intraoral US is useful to estimate the depth of tumor invasion of superficial carcinoma of the tongue because the increasing depth of tumor invasion and the microvascular proliferation caused by neoplastic growth might determine proximity to blood vessels and lymphatics, thus facilitating the tumor’s ability to metastasize [18]. The use of US in the differential diagnosis of periapical lesions was introduced by Cotti et al. in 2002 [20] and 2003 [21]. Since then, very few studies have been undertaken to validate their findings. They defined cystic lesion as a hypoechoic well-contoured cavity filled with fluids with no evidence of internal vascularity on power Doppler imaging, and granuloma as a hyperechoic or mixed hyper- and hypoechoic areas with a rich vascular supply on power Doppler imaging. Gundappa et al. [22] reported that US demonstrated a high diagnostic accuracy in the differentiation of periapical granulomas and radicular cysts with a side-by-side comparison between US and hisopathology.