Ultrasound in Metastatic Neck Disease

Abstract

Statistical data have been collected from the literature concerning the value of B-scan sonography in detecting lymph node metastases in patients with different ENT malignancies. It is shown that up to now several attempts have been made in order to raise the specificity of ultrasound in this field. Some typical features of lymph node metastases are presented by showing their sonographic structures.

A probability prediction rule for malignant cervical lymphadenopathy using sonography

“…Many sonomorphological and hemodynamic features of malignant lymph nodes have been studied separately in the past. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] In clinical practice, confusion is frequently raised if some features favor malignancy, but some features do not. Several attempts have been made to incorporate various gray-scale or color Doppler ultrasonography features to predict metastasis.…”

“…Several morphologic criteria, such as longitudinal diameter, transverse diameter, ratio of length of short axis to long axis, shape, hilar echogenicity, nodal border, site, and multiplicity of tumors, have been proposed by use of B-mode sonography. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Generally speaking, these morphologic criteria could be set to serve as sensitive predictors of malignancy. However, the specificity was usually reported to be low.…”

“…However, the specificity was usually reported to be low. 3,5 Malignant nodal vessel flow, studied with color Doppler or power Doppler sonography, found a characteristic of bizarre vascular pattern, higher vascularity, high resistant flow, high peak systolic and low end-diastolic velocity. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13] Most of these parameters, although rather specific, were unsatisfactory in sensitivity of detecting malignancy.…”