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In the majority of cases USCB is adequate for confident histopathological diagnosis avoiding the need for surgical excision biopsy in cases of suspected head and neck lymphoma.

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Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has been widely adopted for the cytological diagnosis of parotid lumps. FNAC does have drawbacks, even under optimum conditions and may be associated with poor levels of diagnostic accuracy, particularly outside the specialized clinic environment. Ultrasound-guided core biopsy (USCB) is a relatively recently described technique in the parotid gland which has been well tolerated and has demonstrated a high degree of diagnostic accuracy in several studies. This article discusses the merits and pitfalls of FNAC, together with the technique of USCB and also highlights the potential advantages benefit provided by USCB in parotid diagnosis.

Renal vein thrombosis (RVT) is the most frequently occurring vascular condition in the new-born kidney. The predisposing factors include dehydration, sepsis, birth asphyxia, maternal diabetes, polycythaemia and the presence of an indwelling umbilical venous catheter. (RVT) may present clinically with a flank mass, haematuria, hypertension or renal failure. Many imaging modalities have been employed, but ultrasound is the technique most commonly used in the evaluation of neonates with suspected RVT. Thrombosis commences in the small renal veins and subsequently propagates via larger interlobar veins to the main renal vein and inferior vena cava (IVC). The ultrasound appearances depend upon the stage at which the examination is performed and extent of the thrombus. Initially, the interlobular and interlobar thrombus appears as highly echogenic streaks. These streaks commence in a peripheral, focal segment of the involved kidney and only persist for a few days. In the first week the affected kidney swells and becomes echogenic with prominent echopoor medullary pyramids. Later, the swelling increases and the kidney becomes heterogenous with loss of corticomedullary differentiation. Grey scale ultrasound readily demonstrates thrombus within the renal vein and IVC. Adrenal haemorrhage is a recognized association and may be identified ultrasonically. Colour Doppler scanning provides additional information. In the early stages of RVT, colour Doppler may demonstrate absent intrarenal and renal venous flow. Ultimately, the kidney may recover, show focal scarring or become atrophic. Thus, ultrasound provides an accessible and reliable tool in the assessment of suspected neonatal RVT.