Sonography of plantar warts: Role in diagnosis and treatment

Objective. The purpose of this presentation is to show the sonographic morphologic characteristics of plantar warts and the scope of sonography in the treatment of these lesions. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed 27 sonographic examinations of the plantar region; 17 corresponded to plantar warts diagnosed by dermatologists in which the diagnoses were medically derived from sonographic examinations after failure of their treatments. The remaining group consisted of 10 healthy individuals. Sonograms were compared with standard histologic findings. Results. The sonographic features of normal plantar skin and plantar warts are described, including the shape, echogenicity, pattern of growth, involvement of skin layers, and blood flow in the lesions. Conclusions. Sonography may be considered as reliable support for plantar wart diagnosis and may have a role in the evaluation of plantar wart treatment modalities, allowing monitoring of therapeutic responses, especially in recurrent and difficult cases with persistent symptoms such as pain.