Peculiar Ultrasonography Feature of a Subcutaneous Abscess on Cheek - A Rare Case Report

Abstract

The skin on the face is prone to a number of ailments due to the presence of hair follicles, glands, and pores. One such infection is a bacterial infection that affects the hair follicles. Folliculitis is a hair follicle infection caused by the inflammation of hair follicles as a result of physical injury, chemical irritation, or infection. It is possible that the hair within the follicle will become contaminated if it is trapped and unable to break through the epidermis, which can lead to an abscess in the subcutaneous layer. In skin and soft tissue infections, ultrasound imaging is more reliable, which increases ability of clinicians to discern between an abscess cavity and deeper infections. It excels due to its high resolution and ability to perform dynamic testing, such as compressing structures, which allows for reliable separation of potentially perplexing physical findings. Sonography enables the discovery of clinically occult collections and provides guidance for diagnostic aspiration, which is often required to distinguish an abscess from a necrotic or cystic tumor, haematoma, or seroma. Here the authors presents a case of a 27-year-old male patient who presented with a discrete swelling on the right cheek region over a period of six months. Ultrasonography revealed a mysterious linear echogenic area surrounded by a hypoechoic area that was unusual of an abscess leading to perplexity in diagnosis. Later, the abscess was drained and the swelling had completely subsided after a week follow-up. Thus, a better understanding and knowledge of ultrasonography and its imaging features in soft tissue lesions will aid in precise diagnosis and may prevent unnecessary further imaging.

Keywords

• echogenic area
• folliculitis
• sonography