Sonographically guided core needle biopsy of cervical lymphadenopathy in patients without known malignancy.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy of sonographically guided core needle biopsy (core biopsy) for diagnosing the causes of cervical lymphadenopathy in patients without known malignancy.


METHODS
One hundred fifty-five sonographically guided core biopsies performed in 155 patients with cervical lymphadenopathy were retrospectively evaluated. None of the 155 patients had any known primary malignancy. Final diagnoses were determined by the histologic examination from excision biopsy when performed or by the clinical and sonographic follow-up for more than 12 months. When a lymph node diagnosed as benign by sonographically guided core biopsy regressed spontaneously or by subsequent management, the diagnosis made by the sonographically guided core biopsy was considered correct. When a lymph node diagnosed as benign by sonographically guided core biopsy was unchanged or increased in size with subsequent management, excision biopsy was performed. Diagnostic yield, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and complications of core biopsy were evaluated.


RESULTS
Histologic diagnosis could be made by sonographically guided core biopsy in 146 (94%) of the 155 patients. The histologic diagnoses were reactive hyperplasia in 44 patients, tuberculosis in 37, Kikuchi disease in 25, metastasis in 16, lymphoma in 16, normal in 7, and toxoplasmosis in 1. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of sonographically guided core biopsy were 97.9%, 99.1%, and 97.9%, respectively. There were no procedure-related complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Sonographically guided core biopsy is a safe and efficient tool for diagnosing the cause of cervical lymphadenopathy in patients without known malignancy and may obviate unnecessary excisional biopsy.
Kim
Byung Moon
BM
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Eun-Kyung
EK
Kim
Min Jung
MJ
Yang
Woo-Ik
WI
Park
Cheong Soo
CS
Park
Sung Il
SI
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008199:Lymphadenitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*