Preoperative cervical lymph node size evaluation in patients with malignant head/neck tumors: comparison between ultrasound and computer tomography

Abstract

Cervical lymph node staging can be performed safely by ultrasound. It is a cheap, easy-to-handle and cost-effective diagnostic method. However, only the uppermost regions of the neck are accessible with a linear transducer. Despite this restriction, ultrasound is a reliable and valuable tool for screening lymph nodes in the case of a head or neck malignancy.

Clinical utility and prospective comparison of ultrasonography and computed tomography imaging in staging of neck metastases in head and neck squamous cell cancer in an Indian setup

“…Hohlweg-Majert et al [35] also reported that cervical lymph node staging can be performed reliably by ultrasound. It is a cheap, easy-to-handle and cost-effective diagnostic method; however, only the uppermost regions of the neck are accessible with a linear transducer.…”

“…It is a cheap, easy-to-handle and cost-effective diagnostic method; however, only the uppermost regions of the neck are accessible with a linear transducer. Despite this limitation, ultrasound is a reliable and valuable tool for screening lymph nodes in the case of a head or neck malignancy [35]. It cannot be ruled out that as yet an undefined factor or factors may contribute, albeit not significantly, to the diagnostic performance of gray-scale sonography for depicting metastatic nodes on the basis of overall impression assessment [26].…”

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging of Sentinel Lymph Nodes After Peritumoral Administration of Sonazoid in a Melanoma Tumor Animal Model

“…[36][37][38][39][40][41] Conventional gray scale US features of metastatic involvement in LNs include enlargement, a round rather than oval shape (ie, size ratios), cortical thickness abnormalities, loss of the typical echogenic hilum, and abnormal vascular architecture. [12][13][14]38,41,42 Several published reports have described the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of US for LN metastases, primarily for breast applications. [12][13][14][15]38,41,42 In patients with breast cancer, the lymphatic drainage pathways are relatively predictable, whereas in patients who have melanoma, the location of the SLNs is more variable.…”

“…[12][13][14]38,41,42 Several published reports have described the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of US for LN metastases, primarily for breast applications. [12][13][14][15]38,41,42 In patients with breast cancer, the lymphatic drainage pathways are relatively predictable, whereas in patients who have melanoma, the location of the SLNs is more variable. 43,44 This project has confirmed the potential utility of lymphosonography as a lymphatic mapping technique and its ability to localize SLNs even in cases of unpredictable drainage pathways.…”

Contribution of Ultrasonography to the Diagnosis of Submucosal and Subcutaneous Nodular Lesions of the Oral and Maxillofacial Region: Analysis of Cases

“…The results of the study were in accordance with those reported by Millesi et al [28] and Hodder et al [29], who found values over 90 %. Other authors obtained different results; Haberal et al [30] and Anand et al [31] found rates over 70 %, but Hohlweg-Majert et al [32] described a sensitivity of 24.5 % for US.…”