Office-based ultrasound of the head and neck would be a highly cost-effective and convenient way to offer one-stop care rather than forcing patients to go elsewhere for the diagnostic test, according to a study published in the December issues of the journal Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. The downside of out-of-office ultrasound includes forcing patients to travel and also requires multiple appointments. Also, reliance on off-site procedures takes up time and also prevents a doctor from overseeing the work being done. According to the study, doing these studies in-house would pay for itself within a year.

Other findings:

• Otolaryngologists are most geared for in-office ultrasound due to their expertise with anatomy and diseases of the head and neck;
• Ultrasound can also be easily integrated into an office setting, providing a surgeon with real-time imaging; and
• Ultrasound machines with the specifications needed for head and neck scans are readily available.