Jin-Ru Yang1, Yan Song2, Yu-Li Jia2, Li-Tao Ruan2. 1. Department of Ultrasonics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China. yangjinru555@126.com. 2. Department of Ultrasonics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of multimodal ultrasonography, including SWE and CEUS, for the differentiation of benign and malignant cervical lymphadenopathy. METHODS: A total of 103 patients with 109 enlarged neck lymph nodes underwent SWE and CEUS. There were 25 hyperplastic lymph nodes, 66 metastatic lymph nodes, and 18 cases of lymphoma. RESULTS: Using 31.6 kPa as the Emax cutoff, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of measurements on both benign and malignant cervical lymph nodes were 55.95%, 96%, and 65.2%, respectively. CEUS showed that lymph nodes with reactive hyperplasia mainly exhibited uniform perfusion via the lymphatic hilum (18/25; 72%; P < 0.01). The main manifestation of lymphoma was uniform perfusion through the lymphatic hila (10/18; 55.6%; P < 0.01). Metastatic lymph nodes mainly exhibited uneven perfusion (57/66; 86.4%; P < 0.01). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of multimodal ultrasonography for the diagnosis of benign and malignant cervical lymphadenopathies were 90.5%, 72%, and 86.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that multimodal ultrasonography can detect the stiffness (elasticity), perfusion pattern, and characteristics of lymph nodes and is a valuable tool for differentiating between benign and malignant lymphadenopathies.
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of multimodal ultrasonography, including SWE and CEUS, for the differentiation of benign and malignant cervical lymphadenopathy. METHODS: A total of 103 patients with 109 enlarged neck lymph nodes underwent SWE and CEUS. There were 25 hyperplastic lymph nodes, 66 metastatic lymph nodes, and 18 cases of lymphoma. RESULTS: Using 31.6 kPa as the Emax cutoff, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of measurements on both benign and malignant cervical lymph nodes were 55.95%, 96%, and 65.2%, respectively. CEUS showed that lymph nodes with reactive hyperplasia mainly exhibited uniform perfusion via the lymphatic hilum (18/25; 72%; P < 0.01). The main manifestation of lymphoma was uniform perfusion through the lymphatic hila (10/18; 55.6%; P < 0.01). Metastatic lymph nodes mainly exhibited uneven perfusion (57/66; 86.4%; P < 0.01). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of multimodal ultrasonography for the diagnosis of benign and malignant cervical lymphadenopathies were 90.5%, 72%, and 86.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that multimodal ultrasonography can detect the stiffness (elasticity), perfusion pattern, and characteristics of lymph nodes and is a valuable tool for differentiating between benign and malignant lymphadenopathies.