Diagnostic and therapeutic role of ultrasound in soft tissue foreign bodies and associated complications: a pictorial essay

Abstract

Ultrasonography allows detection of a variety of soft tissue foreign bodies, including wood splinters, glass, metal, and plastic. Herein, we present a pictorial essay on diagnostic and therapeutic role of ultrasound in soft tissue foreign bodies with complications. Figure 1: A 45-year-old male with history of accidental metallic foreign body penetration in the right thigh 2 months ago came for ultrasound of the right thigh to know the exact location of the foreign body. Ultrasound with use of the endocavitary probe showed a brightly echogenic foreign body adjacent to the proximal right superficial femoral artery complicated by pseudo-aneurysm formation. CT angiography right lower limb confirmed the ultrasound findings. Figure 2 (A, B, C): Ultrasound of wooden soft tissue foreign bodies according to severity of symptoms at presentation. A. 42-year-old male with asymptomatic foreign body in the left palm at presentation. B. 7-year-old boy with mild to moderate pain and unsuspected foreign body in the calf. C. 22-year-old male with extensive soft tissue oedema in the left hand. Figure 3: Sonography of a broken needle tip. Figure 4: Sonography role for guidance of soft tissue foreign body extraction using hydrodissection. Ultrasound allows accurate and efficient detection of radio-opaque as well as radiolucent soft tissue foreign bodies and aids assessment of their associated complications along with image-guided foreign body removal. Ultrasound has emerged as the study of choice for detection and localization of soft tissue foreign bodies, for assessment of associated complications and for image-guided soft tissue foreign body extraction.