Diagnostic value of preoperative sonographic evaluation for axillary lymph node metastases in breast cancer patients

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was evaluate predictive value of preoperative sonography for the evaluation of axillary lymph node metastases in breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: The study included 226 patients who underwent curative surgery between Jan. 2008 Dec. 2010 at Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital. We analyzed preoperative sonographic findings of axillary lymph nodes and compared the finding with postoperative histologic results of axillary lymph nodes evaluation. Results: When we compared preoperative sonographic evaluation of metastatic lymph node with final histological results, the sensitivity of sonographic evaluation was 81.3% and specificity was 77.5%. False positive rate was 10.7% and false negative rate was 35.8%. The accuracy of preoperative sonographic evaluation of lymph node metastasis was 78.7%. Primary tumor size was the only significant predictive factor for lymph node metastasis on multivariate analysis. Conclusion: preoperative sonographic evaluation of axillary lymph node had limited value with moderate accuracy. High false-negative rate of preoperative sonography indicates that preoperative sonography cannot replace intraoperative sentinel node evaluation at this stage.

The efficacy of preoperative imaging study for evaluation of axillary lymph node metastasis in patients with breast cancer

“…발과 생존율을 예측하는 데 있어 가장 중요한 예후 인자로써 수술 후 항암화학치료나 방사선치료를 결정하는 데 있어서도 중요한 지 표로 이용된다 [3,4]. 현재까지 액와부 림프절 전이 여부에 대한 평가 는 감시림프절 생검술이나 액와림프절 청소술과 같은 수술적인 방 법이 가장 정확한 접근법이며, 치료 계획을 세우는 데 있어서 수술 전 액와림프절 상태를 예측 및 평가하는 것이 요구된다 [5].…”