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

Peritonsillar infections include cellulitis and abscess (quinsy). Clinical diagnosis is often supplemented by diagnostic drainage (aspiration or incis ion) in an effort to distinguish abscess from cellulitis. In a prospective study of 14 patients we have shown that clinical impression alone is unreli able (sensitivity 78 per cent, specificity 50 per cent). Computerized tomog raphy (CT) (sensitivity 100 per cent, specificity 75 per cent) and intraora l ultrasound (sensitivity 89 per cent, specificity 100 per cent) are much m ore 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.