Non-contrast-enhanced CT findings of high attenuation within metastatic cervical lymph nodes in patients with stage I or II tongue carcinoma during a follow-up period.
We present the non-contrast-enhanced CT finding of high attenuation within metastatic regional lymph nodes in two patients with stage I or II tongue carcinoma during a follow-up period. The attenuation values of these lesions were approximately 70 HU or more. One patient had a level I node, and the other had a level II node. Contrast-enhanced CT failed to reveal these hyperattenuated areas within the nodes. Histopathologic examination revealed that these hyperattenuated areas were strongly correlated with the area of marked keratinization of metastatic foci. If contrast-enhanced CT had been the only imaging technique used, these lesions might have been overlooked. The clinician should be aware of the characteristic findings of non-contrast-enhanced, as well as contrast-enhanced, CT when investigating lymph node metastases at an early stage in patients with stage I or II tongue carcinoma during the follow-up period.
Hayashi
Takafumi
T
Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Course for Oral Life Science, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.
Tanaka
Ray
R
Taira
Shuhzou
S
Koyama
Jun-ichi
J
Katsura
Kouji
K
Kobayashi
Fukiko
F
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002584:Cervix Uteri; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*
D003287:Contrast Media