Ultrasonography in dermatology.

Ultrasonography is an essential tool for most medical specialties; training in its use is required for dermatology residency programs in Germany. Ultrasonography is a versatile, painless, low-risk, non-invasive procedure which can be done anywhere and easily repeated; it provides real-time visual information about benign and malignant processes in the skin and subcutis. High frequency sonography with 20 MHz scanners is well-established for measuring the thickness of the skin or its tumors and assessing inflammatory skin disorders. Mid-frequency sonography with 7.5-15 MHz sounds is widely used in dermatologic oncology, both for pre-operative staging and follow-up of melanoma patients. The interpretation of sonographic images such as borders of lesions, echogenicity, artifacts and vascular patterns with duplex color sonography requires structured education and intensive training. The wide variety of diagnostic information provided by sonography underlines its essential position in certified skin cancer centers.