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Diagnosis of peritonsillar infections: a prospective study of ultrasound, computerized tomography and clinical diagnosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

P. M. J. Scott ,
W. K. Loftus ,
J. Kew ,
A. Ahuja ,
V. Yue  and
C. A. Van Hasselt
P. M. J. Scott
Affiliation:
Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong.
W. K. Loftus
Affiliation:
Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Organ Imaging, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong.
J. Kew
Affiliation:
Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Organ Imaging, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong.
A. Ahuja
Affiliation:
Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Organ Imaging, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong.
V. Yue
Affiliation:
Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong.
C. A. Van Hasselt*
Affiliation:
Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong.
*
Address for correspondence: Professor C. A. van Hasselt, Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong. Fax: (852) 26466312
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Abstract

Peritonsillar infections include cellulitis and abscess (quinsy). Clinical diagnosis is often supplemented by diagnostic drainage (aspiration or incision) in an effort to distinguish abscess from cellulitis. In a prospective study of 14 patients we have shown that clinical impression alone is unreliable (sensitivity 78 per cent, specificity 50 per cent). Computerized tomography (CT) (sensitivity 100 per cent, specificity 75 per cent) and intraoral ultrasound (sensitivity 89 per cent, specificity 100 per cent) are much more reliable. We propose that intraoral ultrasound could play a useful role in the clinical assessment of peritonsillar infections helping to improve accuracy in distinguishing abscesses from cellulitis.

Keywords

UltrasonographyTonsillitisCellulitisAbscessTomographyX-ray computed
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 113 , Issue 3 , March 1999 , pp. 229 - 232
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1999

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