High-resolution ultrasound in the late period of dynamic follow-up after photodynamic therapy for basal cell carcinoma of the head and neck skin

Purpose of the study. The objective of this study was to ascertain the potential of high-resolution ultrasound in evaluating the outcomes of photodynamic therapy for basal cell carcinoma of the head and neck in the late period. Materials and Methods . A total of 101 patients were examined in the late period (3–6–12 months) after photodynamic therapy (32 men and 69 women) with ages ranging from 40 to 93 years. All patients underwent a high-resolution ultrasound examination of the treated area using a Philips Epic 7 expert class device with a high-frequency linear matrix transducer (eL18-4) with a scanning range of 2–22 MHz and Microflow Imaging technology. Results: The results of the study revealed that ultrasonic diagnostics can effectively evaluate the treatment's effectiveness and exclude the recurrence of the primary disease following photodynamic therapy for basal cell carcinoma of the head and neck during the period of scar changes formation. The ultrasound images obtained at 3, 6, and 12 months following photodynamic therapy revealed various changes in the skin and adjacent soft tissues, depending on the extent of scar formation. These changes exhibited unique characteristics and were influenced by numerous factors. Conclusions. Ultrasound diagnostics has been proven to be a reliable, non-invasive, and cost-effective research method. It provides a means to assess the degree of reparative changes in the skin following treatment and to rule out the possibility of disease recurrence.