[Sonography in cervical lymph node metastases]

The value of high resolution real time sonography for the detection of cervical lymph-node metastases in head and neck cancers was assessed in 118 histological proven cases. The accuracy of sonography (89%) proved to be superior to palpation (80%). In 9 patients a thrombosis of the internal jugular vein was detected. The ability of sonography to detect tumorous infiltration of the arterial vessel wall is discussed in 12 patients. Regarding possible artefacts, sonography is the only imaging modality which can solve this problem. Sonography should be performed preoperatively in all patients with malignant head and neck tumors for cervical lymph-node staging.