Soft Tissue Ultrasound

Abstract

The use of ultrasound in the evaluation of soft tissue structures has many potential applications. When evaluating a soft tissue infection with ultrasound, consideration of several key principles will increase the potential for successful image acquisition. Soft tissue foreign bodies represent a troubling entity for emergency physicians. They often pose remarkable clinical challenges, in identification and removal, and represent a significant component of malpractice claims against emergency physicians. Most soft tissue ultrasound is best performed with a high-frequency (7 to 13 MHz) linear probe. The detection of foreign bodies may prove to be of difficulty for the novice sonologist. The differentiation between peritonsillar cellulitis and abscess can be difficult based solely on clinical findings. As with many soft tissue ultrasounds, appropriate patient preparation will improve both procedural tolerance and image acquisition. The primary limitation in the sonographic evaluation of suspected peritonsillar abscess is patient tolerance.