The role of contrast-enhanced gray-scale ultrasonography in the differential diagnosis of superficial lymph nodes.
Lymph node micrometastases are common, but too often in clinical practice lack the tools for their accurate prebiopsy detection. The gray-scale contrast-enhanced ultrasonography technique permits high-resolution imaging of both the arterial and parenchymal phase and allows visualization of diffuse and partial alterations of nodal perfusion even in lymph nodes with a maximum diameter smaller than 1 cm. The gray-scale contrast-enhanced ultrasonography can supply further useful information in case where doubt has arisen with conventional techniques. The results obtained show that it affords highly accurate differentiation between benign and metastatic lymph nodes.
Stramare
Roberto
R
Department of Medical Diagnostic Sciences and Special Therapies, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, Padua, Italy. roberto.stramare@unipd.it
Scagliori
Elena
E
Mannucci
Martina
M
Beltrame
Valeria
V
Rubaltelli
Leopoldo
L
D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography
D003287:Contrast Media