Can Delphian nodes be used to reliably predict thyroiditis in the paediatric population?

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Radiology
• Endocrinology
• Inflammatory Diseases

Background:

• Delphian (level VI) lymph nodes are associated with head and neck cancers, but their role in thyroiditis is less understood.
• Thyroid ultrasound findings in thyroiditis can be variable and non-specific.
• Identifying Delphian lymph nodes may help determine the cause of inflammatory thyroid conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if Delphian lymph node assessment via ultrasound can predict thyroiditis diagnosis in children.
• To establish a correlation between Delphian lymph nodes and pediatric thyroiditis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of ultrasound scans from 70 pediatric patients (ages 1-17).
• Assessment of Delphian lymph node presence, thyroid size, echogenicity, and vascularity.
• Correlation of radiological findings with biochemical markers (thyroid function tests, antibodies) and clinical diagnoses.

Main Results:

• Delphian lymph nodes were identified in 24 patients.
• A significant association was found between Delphian lymph nodes and heterogeneous thyroid architecture (p < 0.001), enlarged thyroid (p = 0.002), and increased vascularity (p < 0.001).
• The presence of Delphian lymph nodes showed a significant association with the clinical diagnosis of thyroiditis.

Conclusions:

• Delphian lymph node presence on ultrasound is significantly associated with pediatric thyroiditis.
• This association includes key biochemical markers and characteristic ultrasound findings like increased heterogeneity, size, and vascularity.
• Ultrasound assessment of Delphian lymph nodes may improve the diagnosis of inflammatory thyroid disease in children.