Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 19, Issue 3 195-200, Copyright © 2000 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Enlarged lymph nodes of the neck: evaluation with parallel extended field-of-view sonographic sequences
M. Beissert, M. Jenett, T. Wetzler, I. Hinterseher, C. Kessler and D. Hahn
Department of Radiology, University Wurzburg, Germany.
A standardized extended field-of-view sonographic examination technique of
the neck is evaluated. In a prospective study we screened 50 patients
suspected of having carcinoma or lymphoma for enlarged cervical lymph
nodes. After conventional CT of the neck, extended field-of-view sonography
was performed using defined axial parallel scanning sequences. The results
were interpreted separately by two radiologists. Of 245 lymph nodes
(diameter 1 cm or greater) diagnosed with conventional CT, 218 were
correctly identified by extended field-of-view ultrasonography. With
respect to the entire neck, the sensitivity of extended field-of-view
sonography was 92%, and the correlation coefficient between the methods was
r = 0.98 (P < 0.001). Fifteen of 17 false-negative lymph nodes were
located in the mandibular angle region. False-positive results (N = 10)
were caused by misinterpretation of primary tumors, blood vessels,
lobulated salivary glands, and double imaged lymph nodes. Our results
indicate that extended field-of-view sonography in parallel scanning
sequences represents a reliable method for the detection of cervical
lymphadenopathy.
