COMPARISON BETWEEN SURGEON-PERFORMED VERSUS IMAGING SPECIALIST-PERFORMED ULTRASONOGRAPHY FOR HEAD AND NECK PATHOLOGY
Abstract:
Ultrasonography is a proven diagnostic tool for head and neck pathology. However previous
data come from examinations performed in imaging departments and there are few studies about the
accuracy of surgeon-performed ultrasonography. Our objective was to compare surgeon-performed
ultrasound exams in the ENT department with ultrasound exams performed on the same patients by an
imaging specialist. We compared the 2 ultrasound exams performed for 30 patients using variables such
as: location, number, dimensions, echostructure, margins, hilum, vascular pattern, necrosis,
calcifications, surrounding structures invasion, diagnosis and etiology. Statistical analysis of the data
revealed an overall inter-observer variability of 16.66%, with a 10% inter-observer variability
concerning the Doppler examination and a 6.66% variability concerning the margins of the tumor. Our
pilot study shows that surgeon-performed ultrasonography has the same accuracy as imaging specialist
performed ultrasonography in head and neck pathology.
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