[Morphology-based criteria for ultrasonic assessment of axillary lymph node status in primary breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the morphology-based criteria for the ultrasonic assessment of axillary lymph node in primary breast cancer.


METHODS
A total of 2256 T0-2N0 patients underwent axillary ultrasound preoperatively. Lymph nodes were classified as normal if no node was found or cortex thickness was even and < 3 mm; abnormal, (1) if cortex thickness was even but ≥ 3 mm or (2) focally thickened cortex ≥ 3 mm or (3) fatty hilum was absent. The patients in the abnormal group underwent ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration (US-FNA). Except for positive lymph nodes, all the others underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB).


RESULTS
In this series, 692 (30.7%) were pathologically confirmed positive LNs. Among them, 214 (9.5%) were identified by US-FNA. And 361 were abnormal according to the above mentioned criteria. The proportions were 11.6%, 54.8% and 33.5% in Group 1-3 respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of these criteria alone were 35.8%, 92.8%, 68.7% and 76.6% respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The present morphology-based criteria for the ultrasonic assessment of lymph node status is both effective and practical in primary breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Center, Department of Ultrasonography, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis & Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China.
Ling
L
Huo
Kun
K
Yan
Hui
H
Zhang
Wen
W
Gao
Ying
Y
Fu
Zhao-qing
ZQ
Fan
Tie
T
Fan
Xin-guang
XG
Wang
Wei
W
Cao
Meng
M
Qi
Jin-feng
JF
Li
Yun-tao
YT
Xie
Tian-feng
TF
Wang
Tao
T
Ouyang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001365:Axilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000592:standards; D055815:Young Adult