Intra-arterial DSA and duplex-Doppler ultrasonography in detection of vascularized inguinal lymph node

Twenty-three patients with ischemic disease of the legs referred for routine preoperative angiography were examined with intra-arterial DSA and high resolution ultrasonography with duplex-Doppler to detect inguinal lymph nodes. None of the patients had evidence of malignant or lymphomatous disease and only 3 had skin ulceration on the foot. DSA detected nodes in 9 patients (39%). In 3 cases the nodes were highly vascularized. Ultrasonography detected lymph nodes in 16 patients (70%). In all but 2 nodes a high velocity arterial flow was recorded. It is concluded that DSA and particularly duplex-Doppler ultrasonography are sensitive methods to detect vascularized lymph nodes and that such nodes are found in many patients with no evidence of malignancy or infection.