Value of ultrasound elastography in assessment of enlarged cervical lymph nodes.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the value of ultrasound elastography (UE) in the differentiation between benign and malignant enlarged cervical lymph nodes (LNs).


METHODS
B-mode ultrasound, power Doppler imaging and UE were examined to determine LN characteristics. Two kinds of methods, 4 scores of elastographic classification and a strain ratio (SR) were used to evaluate the ultrasound elastograms.


RESULTS
The cutoff point of SR had high utility in differential diagnosis of benign and malignant of cervical lymph nodes, with good sensitivity, specificity and accuracy.


CONCLUSIONS
UE is an important aid in differential diagnosis of benign and malignant cervical LNs.
Department of Ultrasonography, The 208th Hospital of PLA, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Deng-Ke
DK
Teng
Hui
H
Wang
Yuan-Qiang
YQ
Lin
Guo-Qing
GQ
Sui
Feng
F
Guo
Li-Na
LN
Sun
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D055815:Young Adult