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Summary
Ultrasound effectively detects and maps enlarged neck lymph nodes, influencing surgical plans for over half of patients. While it cannot distinguish between benign and malignant nodes, it aids in assessing operability and adjacent structure involvement.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Oncology
- Surgical Planning
Background:
- Cervical lymph node enlargement requires accurate imaging for diagnosis and treatment planning.
- Current imaging techniques may have limitations in fully delineating nodal disease and its extent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound (US) in the detection, localization, and delineation of enlarged cervical lymph nodes.
- To assess the impact of US findings on surgical management decisions for patients with neck lymphadenopathy.
Main Methods:
- Small-parts ultrasound examinations were performed on patients with enlarged lymph nodes of the neck.
- Assessment included detection, localization, delineation, and evaluation of infiltration into adjacent structures.
Main Results:
- Ultrasound demonstrated high effectiveness in detecting, localizing, and delineating enlarged neck lymph nodes.
- Infiltration of adjacent structures, including carotid arteries and neck muscles, was reliably shown.
- Benign and malignant lymph node enlargement were indistinguishable by US.
- US examinations altered the operative course in 56% of patients, leading to more radical procedures in 41% and identifying inoperability in 14%.
Conclusions:
- Small-parts ultrasound is a valuable adjunct to existing imaging modalities for evaluating cervical lymph node disease.
- US significantly impacts surgical planning by providing crucial information on nodal extent and potential operability.