Perihepatic lymph node assessment in patients undergoing partial hepatectomy for malignancy.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the value of preoperative imaging studies and the intraoperative assessment of perihepatic lymph nodes in patients undergoing partial hepatectomy for malignancy.


BACKGROUND
Perihepatic lymph node status is an important prognostic factor for patients undergoing hepatic resection for 1(o) and metastatic cancer. The value of preoperative imaging studies and intraoperative assessment of perihepatic nodes is unknown.


METHODS
Perihepatic lymph nodes were sampled in 100 patients undergoing resection for 1(o) and metastatic hepatic malignancy. At the time of sampling, participating surgeons assigned a clinical suspicion score (scale, 1-5: 1 = clinically negative, 5 = clinically positive). Preoperative CT scans and PET scans were reviewed in a blinded fashion by 2 radiologists. Clinical assessment, CT, and PET scan results were analyzed in the context of the pathologic status of the lymph nodes.


RESULTS
A mean of 3.2 +/- 0.2 nodes were sampled per patient. Fifteen patients had metastatic disease in perihepatic lymph nodes; 13 had suggestive findings on preoperative CT or PET, and 2 were clinically positive at exploration. Clinical assessment had a high negative predictive value (NPV) = 99% but a low positive predictive value (PPV) = 39%. Similarly, CT scans had a high NPV = 95% and a low PPV = 30%. PET scans had a NPV = 88% and a PPV of 100%. Of the 48 patients with both negative preoperative CT and PET scans, only 1 (2.1%) had metastatic nodal disease, and this was suspected based on the clinical assessment. Of the patients with negative CT and PET scans and a negative clinical assessment (n = 39), none had involved perihepatic nodes.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with 1(o) and metastatic liver cancer, the incidence of truly occult metastatic disease to perihepatic lymph nodes is low. Routine sampling of perihepatic lymph nodes will therefore have a low yield in patients without some evidence of disease on preoperative CT or PET scans or at the time of exploration.
Grobmyer
Stephen R
SR
Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Wang
Liang
L
Gonen
Mithat
M
Fong
Yuman
Y
Klimstra
David
D
D'Angelica
Michael
M
DeMatteo
Ronald P
RP
Schwartz
Larry
L
Blumgart
Leslie H
LH
Jarnagin
William R
WR
D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000473:pathology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000601:surgery; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000601:surgery; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008099:Liver; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed