title: Contribution of Ultrasonography to the Diagnosis of Submucosal and Subcutaneous Nodular Lesions of the Oral and Maxillofacial Region: Analysis of Cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of ultrasonography in the establishment of the diagnosis of nonspecific nodular lesions of the oral soft tissues. We determined the indication of use and reliability of ultrasonography in the field of dentistry, considering whether it was of value in the conclusive diagnosis of these pathologies.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 65 patients from the Oral Medicine Unit of São Lucas Hospital, who had submucosal and subcutaneous nodules, without established diagnosis. They were subjected to ultrasonography of the lesion, carried out with standardization of the protocol and equipment, utilizing a Doppler system. The ultrasonographic report was prepared by an experienced professional, noting the imaging characteristics as well as the possibility of diagnosis. Two calibrated examiners analyzed the data, comparing the ultrasonographic report with the final diagnosis. Accordingly, we used established scoring, where zero corresponded to no contribution to the final diagnosis, 1 helped in the management of the case, and 2 when imaging determined the diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A zero score was obtained for 12.3 % of the examinations performed, and 1 and 2 accounted for respectively 41.5 and 46.1 %, totaling a contribution of about 88 %. Ultrasonography was of value in the diagnosis of vascular lesions in 93.3 % and of neoplasms in 87.5 %. In the salivary gland diseases, it contributed to the final diagnosis in 75 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results demonstrated that ultrasonography is an effective tool in the determination of the definitive diagnosis of nonspecific nodular lesions of the soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region.
authors.affiliation: Oral Medicine Unit, São Lucas Hospital, Dentistry School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), 6690 Ipiranga avenue - 2nd floor/room 231, Porto Alegre, RS CEP 90610-000 Brazil.
authors.forename: Felipe Leal
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Oral Medicine Unit, São Lucas Hospital, Dentistry School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), 6690 Ipiranga avenue - 2nd floor/room 231, Porto Alegre, RS CEP 90610-000 Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda Gonçalves
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Salum
authors.affiliation: Oral Medicine Unit, São Lucas Hospital, Dentistry School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), 6690 Ipiranga avenue - 2nd floor/room 231, Porto Alegre, RS CEP 90610-000 Brazil.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cherubini
authors.affiliation: Brazilian College of Radiology, São Paulo, Brazil ; Clinical Radiology Unit, Radiology and Ecography Foundation of Rio Grande do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Oral Medicine Unit, São Lucas Hospital, Dentistry School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), 6690 Ipiranga avenue - 2nd floor/room 231, Porto Alegre, RS CEP 90610-000 Brazil ; Serviço de Estomatologia do Hospital São Lucas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga, 6690 - 2º andar/sala 231, Porto Alegre, RS CEP 90610-000 Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Antonia Zancanaro
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Figueiredo
keywords: Imaging diagnosis; Nodular lesions; Oral pathology; Ultrasonography