[Value of spiral CT in diagnosing metastatic lymph node in lower lip cancer]

The aim of the research was to es timate the efficiency of the computed tomography (CT) in diagnosing meta stasis of submandibular and submen tal lymph nodes (level 1) in patients with diagnosed lower lip cancer. CT of neck lymph nodes was con ducted in 31 patients with diagnosed lower lip cancer. The total of 136 lymph nodes were identified, of which 16 were diagnosed as metastatic in histopathological examination. T investigated parameters were: shape, size (longitudinal and axial diameter and the surface of the cross-sections), presence of the fatty hilus, and level of enhancement after introvascular contrast agent administration. Correlation between the level of enhancement in the primary tumor and the enhancement in the metastatic lymph nodes was observed; density values before and after the admini stration of the contrast agent were in both cases at a similar level. It was also found that the best criterion in the diagnosis of metastatic lymph nodes is the minimal axial diameter: for this parameter, the highest accuracy (74%) was observed for the value of 6 mm. As for the surface of the cross-sections of the lymph node, it was found that the best criterion is the axial cross-section surface: the accuracy of 74% was ob tained for the surface of 38mm2.