RADIOLOGY IN PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT OF FACIAL CONTOUR PLASTY

 

Pavlova O.Yu.¹, Privalova E.G.², Chebotareva Yu.Yu.², Serova A.A.¹,

Galichenko K.A.³, Blinova E.V.¹, Serova N.S.¹

 

1 - Sechenov University.

2 - OOO “Estelab”.

3 - Spectrum Plastic Surgery Center. Moscow, Russia.

P

urpose. To evaluate the possibilities of a combination of radiological diagnostic methods in planning and evaluating of facial contour plasty.

Materials and Methods. From March to June 2025, 43 patients (100%) were examined at the Radiology Department No. 2 of Sechenov University Clinical Hospital No. 1 and Estelab Cosmetology Clinic to determine the condition of their facial soft tissues. The patient group consisted of women (100%) aged 28 to 70 years. All patients (100%) underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the facial soft tissues using a Siemens Magneton Aera MRI system (Siemens, Germany), in 7 patients (16%) MRI examination was supplemented with contrast agent administration. In 16 cases (37%), multislice computed tomography (MSCT) of the facial skeleton and soft tissues was performed (Aquilion One 640, Canon, Japan), in 3 patients (7%) examination was performed with contrast enhancement. Thirty patients (69%) underwent ultrasound examination (i700, Canon, Japan) of the facial soft tissues before MRI, seven patients (16%) – after MRI.

Results. Most patients (n=35; 81%) showed signs of previously performed facial contour plasty: the presence of foreign inclusions of various cosmetic agent types within the soft tissues of the face and neck. In nine patients (21%), foreign inclusions of the cosmetic agent were detected in the upper third of the face, in 29 cases (67%) – in the middle third of the face, in 24 cases (56%) – in the lower third of the face, and in six patients (14%), the agent was observed in all three facial zones. Nine patients (21%) had signs of previous lipofilling.

Discussion. Due to the increasing demand for various surgical and non-surgical interventions in aesthetic medicine, there is a growing need to develop diagnostic and preoperative planning algorithms to minimize potential adverse effects and complications, as well as to develop criteria for evaluating previous treatment. High-frequency ultrasound is a method for assessing facial soft tissues. According to some authors, it is the method of choice for initial diagnosis and for follow-up of patients before and after facial contour plasty. However, tomographic diagnostic methods are necessary for analyzing the three-dimensional anatomy of facial soft tissue structures. According to various authors, MRI is a highly informative method due to its detailed differentiation of soft tissues, large tomographic field, and high information yield in detecting foreign bodies, inflammatory, granulomatous, and other soft tissue changes. MSCT does not offer advantages over MRI in the differentiation of soft tissue structures. However, it allows for a more precise condition assessment of facial skeletal structures and the detection of calcifications, which are a hallmark of some fillers and associated complications.

Conclusion. This study demonstrates the potential of a combination of imaging techniques for assessing the condition of facial soft tissues before cosmetic and surgical interventions to correct age-related facial changes. The application of diagnostic methods in aesthetic medicine remains a pressing issue: the application of each imaging method at various treatment stages and rehabilitation remains unexplored, and there is no unified data analysis algorithm or descriptive protocol. A separate, serious challenge is distinguishing the expected consequences of cosmetic procedures from undesirable outcomes and complications.

 

Keywords: contour plastic surgery, facial area, facial soft tissues, ultrasound, MRI, MSCT, cosmetology, plastic surgery.

 

Corresponding author: Pavlova O.Yu., e-mail: Этот e-mail адрес защищен от спам-ботов, для его просмотра у Вас должен быть включен Javascript

 

For citation: Pavlova O.Yu., Privalova E.G., Chebotareva Yu.Yu., Serova A.A., Galichenko K.A., Blinova E.V., Serova N.S. Radiology in planning and assessment of facial contour plasty. REJR 2025; 15(4):34-45. DOI: 10.21569/2222-7415-2025-15-4-34-45.

Received:        13.08.25                 Accepted: 10.11.25