SONOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF HEAD AND NECK HEMANGIOMAS AND VASCULAR MALFORMATIONS - REVIEW OF 23 PATIENTS

The sonographic features of 23 head and neck hemangiomas and vascular malformations are presented. A focal mass lesion was seen in all patie nts. The predominant sonographic features were a well-defined hypoecho ic mass lesion with heterogeneous echotexture and the presence of cyst ic and sinusoidal spaces within, as well as the occasional presence of phleboliths. Color Doppler imaging demonstrated flow in 12 of 13 lesi ons. When performing sonography on soft tissue masses in the head and neck, the presence of color Doppler signal in a well-defined hypoechoi c mass with heterogeneous echotexture should raise the possibility of an hemangioma.