Tongue and tonsil cancer: staging with US.

A prospective study on the value of ultrasound (US) for the staging of 70 cases of cancer of the tongue and tonsil was performed. A real-time, high-frequency transducer was used, and the examination was often coupled with endobuccal palpation. US did not visualize the tumor in nine of 42 cases of tongue cancer (seven stage T1 and two anterior stage T2 tumors); US accurately defined tumor size in 33 cases. The degree of in-depth extension and the location with respect to the median line (only four false results) were evaluated correctly. With regard to 28 tonsil cancers, US depicted extension from the tonsillar fossa to the tongue in all cases but one (13 of 14 cases). US is valuable for the detection of cervical lymph nodes associated with both tongue and tonsil tumors and is a safe and helpful technique for the follow-up of medium-size lesions. The major limitations of US include the nonvisualization of superficial lesions, reduced accuracy for evaluation of the extension of large tumors, and analysis of posterior pharyngeal extension.