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Visualizing Lymph Node Structure and Cellular Localization using Ex-Vivo Confocal Microscopy
Published on: August 9, 2019
Computed tomography depiction of normal inguinal lymph nodes in children
M S Dogan1, G Koc2, S Doganay3
1Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Insights
This study establishes computed tomography (CT) characteristics for normal pediatric inguinal lymph nodes. Findings provide normative size data for evaluating children using CT scans.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Pediatric Imaging
- Anatomy
Background:
- Normal pediatric inguinal lymph node characteristics are not well-established.
- Accurate normative data is crucial for interpreting CT scans in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define computed tomography (CT) characteristics and distribution of normal inguinal lymph nodes in children.
- To provide normative size data for pediatric inguinal lymph nodes.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of pelvic CT scans from 481 healthy children (0-17 years).
- Evaluation of lymph node presence, location (superficial/deep), number, fat attenuation, shape, and short-axis diameter.
- Analysis of axial and coronal 1.25-mm reconstructions.
Main Results:
- 7556 lymph nodes identified; 85% superficial, 15% deep.
- Most nodes (86.6%) showed fat attenuation and were oval (99.2%).
- Short-axis diameter correlated positively with age; mean diameters ranged from 3.62 mm to 8.68 mm.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric inguinal lymph nodes are typically multiple, oval, and contain fat.
- Established normative data on size and characteristics aid clinical CT evaluation in children.
Background:
The aim of the study was to establish computed tomography (CT) characteristics, distribution and provide normative data about size of normal inguinal lymph nodes in a paediatric population.
Materials And Methods:
Four hundred eighty-one otherwise healthy children (147 girls, mean age: 8.87, range 0-17 years) underwent pelvic CT in the setting of high-energy trauma were included in the study. Both axial and coronal 1.25-mm reconstructions were evaluated for the presence, location (deep or superficial), number, presence of fat attenuation, and shape of the lymph nodes, short-axis diameter of the biggest lymph node for each of right and left inguinal regions.
Results:
A total of 7556 lymph nodes were detected in 481 subjects (the mean count of superficial and deep inguinal lymph nodes was 13.35 [range 6-23] and 2.36 [range 0-7] per subject, respectively): 15% (1135/7556) deep located, 85% (6421/7556) superficially located, 86.6% (6547/7556) with fat attenuation, 99.2% (7496/7556) oval in shape, 0.8% (60/7556) spherical. The short-axis diameter of the lymph nodes increased with age. Pearson's correlation coefficient for superficial and deep lymph nodes in boys and girls, respectively: 0.538 (p < 0.001), 0.504 (p < 0.001), 0.452 (p < 0.001) and 0.268 (p < 0.001). The mean maximum short-axis diameters in different age groups and gender varied between 6.33 ± 0.85 mm and 8.68 ± 1.33 mm for superficial, 3.62 ± 1.16 mm and 5.83 ± 1.05 mm for deep inguinal lymph nodes.
Conclusions:
Inguinal lymph nodes were multiple, commonly contained fat, and were oval in shape. The data determined about inguinal lymph node size in different paediatric age groups may be applicable as normative data in daily clinical CT evaluation practice.
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