[Efficacy of ultrasound detection of the oro- and hypopharyngeal carcinoma].

Sixteen histologically confirmed carcinomas of oro- and hypopharynx were examined by ultrasonography (US) from submental, submandibular, sub-auricular, and laterally cervical skin surface. Well-circumscribed hypoechoic tumors were demonstrated in twelve cases (75%). Nine of them had partial hypoechoic areas, such as "bull's eye pattern" or "pseudokidney sign". The remainder were one homogeneous hypoechoic mass and two inhomogeneous bulky tumors. In four negative studies, two were suspected too thin to be detected by US, and the other two could not be visualized by percutaneous scan because of their anatomical sites. The dimensions of demonstrated twelve tumors were measured three-dimensionally. The US information should be valuable for a prediction or an evaluation of the radiotherapy efficacy.