High-Frequency Ultrasound Assessment of Basal Cell Carcinoma: Correlations Between Histopathological Subtype, Vascularity, and Age/Sex Distribution.

Background

High-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) has emerged as a valuable non-invasive imaging modality for the preoperative assessment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC). However, its ability to reliably differentiate between histopathological subtypes based on morphological and vascular characteristics requires further validation.

Methods

Between January 2010 and December 2011, 320 patients with a total of 330 histologically confirmed BCC lesions were examined using HFUS (15-18 MHz linear transducer). Lesions were classified according to ultrasound contour (sharp vs. irregular) and vascularity (hypervascular vs. hypovascular) and correlated with histopathological subtype (solid vs. infiltrative). Postoperative ultrasound follow-up was performed in a subset of patients for recurrence detection.

Results

Solid BCCs were predominantly characterised by sharp, well-defined margins, whereas infiltrative tumours more frequently exhibited irregular contours. This association was highly significant (χ2 = 24.7, df = 1, p < 0.001; OR = 71.9, 95% CI: 37.0-139.8). Vascularity patterns also differed significantly between subtypes: solid tumours were more likely to present with hypervascular features, while infiltrative tumours more frequently exhibited hypovascular patterns (χ2 = 23.8, df = 1, p < 0.001; OR = 3.24). No statistically significant associations were observed between ultrasound morphology and patient sex or age. Among patients who participated in postoperative HFUS follow-up, seven histologically confirmed recurrences were detected.

Conclusions

HFUS provides reliable preoperative information on BCC morphology and vascularity, enabling accurate differentiation between solid and infiltrative subtypes. These findings support the role of HFUS as a valuable adjunct to dermatoscopy in treatment planning and postoperative surveillance of BCC.