title: Peritonsillar abscess appearance on intra-oral ultrasonography.
abstract: The ultrasound appearances of peritonsillar abscesses (PTA) in 15 patients with clinically suspected peritonsillar infection were assessed using intra-oral sonography and computed tomography (CT). The ultrasonic appearances of an isoechoic rim with a hypoechoic centre were seen in the majority of cases, but a homogeneous isoechoic pattern was also recognized. The different ultrasonic appearances did not correlate with the number of symptomatic days. A central hypoechoic area with a surrounding isoechoic rim pattern was less likely if the volume of pus relative to the whole abscess was less than 10% on CT. Although the percentage of necrosis within the abscesses increased with time, the homogeneous isoechoic appearing abscesses, with less than 10% necrosis, did not fit in temporally and based on our findings it was not possible to predict the ultrasound appearances according to the duration of symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kew
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahuja
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Loftus
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Metreweli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000039:Peritonsillar Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography