Dysphagia without clinically relevant pathological correlation: To excludetumours of the floor of the mouth and the base of the tongue ultrasound diagnosis is mandatory.

In patients suffering from dysphagia, a tumour of the tongue and its base m ust be excluded. This is not always possible by means of endoscopy and palp ation. In contrast it is possible to visualize deep-seated structures of th is region by ultrasound. Unfortunately, this technique is rarely used, as s hown in the cases demonstrated. We present five patients suffering from dys phagia for a long period of time (up to 30 years) where ultrasound was not performed and a tumour of the floor of the mouth and the base of the tongue was overlooked. Thus, adequate therapy was delayed, which proved to be esp ecially relevant in three patients suffering from a malignoma. Three patien ts suffered from a malignant tumour of the base of the tongue. Up to two ye ars passed between the beginning of dysphagia and the necessary surgical tr eatment. One of these patients even underwent psychological treatment for h is symptoms. In two other patients a dermoid cyst and ectopic thyroid tissu e were removed. In patients suffering from dysphagia with normal endoscopic findings and normal palpation of the neck ultrasound of the floor of the m outh and the base of the tongue is imperative. Tumours of this area can be detected early with high sensitivity and cost-effectiveness by ultrasound.