title: Sound waves for unsound entities: an electronic search study to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of ultrasonography in cysts and tumors of maxillofacial region.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this electronic search study was to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of ultrasonography in cysts and tumors of maxillofacial region.
  
  
  METHODS
  An electronic search was performed for articles published from January 1989 to august 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 30 publications were searched and 22 publications showed high level of evidence (4 review articles, 12 clinical studies, 2 case reports, 1 quantitative analysis, 2 research articles and 1 preliminary report) with total of more than 2000 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrasonography is a noninvasive, low cost procedure, and recommended as a complimentary imaging modality.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology KVG Dental College and Hospital, Sullia, Karnataka, India, Phone: 9986220538, e-mail: darshandevang@gmail.com.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Darshan
authors.forename: Girish
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Katti
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Raviraj
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Manikantan
authors.forename: A D Manoj
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Dhanya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Balakrishnan
mesh_terms: D003560:Cysts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009807:Odontogenic Cysts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography