Ultrasonographic study of cystic diseases in the oral and maxillofacial region

Fourteen cases of oral and maxillofacial cysts were evaluated by means of ultrasonography. The pathologic diagnoses were as follows; 5 epidermoid or dermoid cysts, 5 branchial cysts, 3 mucoceles and 1 thyroglossal duct cyst. Epidermoid or dermoid cysts were detected as the solid patterns in the ultrasonographic images. In the cases located submentally, the boundary echoes were not so clear and smooth as those of the branchial cysts, because of the difficulties to differentiate the cyst wall and the surrounding muscle layers. In many cases, strong homogeneous internal echoes were detected, whose echo levels were the same as that of the submandibular gland. All branchial cysts were detected as solid patterns, and in 4 cases homogeneous internal echoes were found, whose echo levels were less than that of the submandibular gland. Mucoceles showed a cystic pattern. For the ultrasonographic diagnosis of the cervical region, the submandibular gland and the mylohyoid muscle play an important role for comparing their echogenecities with the lesions.