Male 65 y/o, he complains pain and swelling in left groin, he has history of hypertension. He has not fever. Clinical examination shows swelling, skin is hot and eritematous.

Is it an abscess, a cellulitis or something else?

Conclusion

Differentiating a soft tissue abscess from cellulitis is important because each disorder requires a different treatment.
Clinical examination alone has small role for this scope.
May we need something else?

Bibliography

BT Squire, JC Fox, C Anderson
ABSCESS: Applied Bedside Sonography for Convenient Evaluation of Superficial Soft Tissue Infections
ACAD EMERG MED July 2005, Vol. 12, No. 7