title: Three-dimensional elastography for cervical lymph node volume measurements: a study to investigate feasibility, accuracy and reliability.
abstract: This study investigated the feasibility of using three-dimensional (3-D) elastography in measuring cervical lymph node volume and compared the accuracy and reliability of 3-D elastography and 3-D grayscale ultrasound in measurement of ill-defined cervical nodes. Eighteen porcine lymph nodes from the neck were embedded in tissue-mimicking phantoms and scanned with the two ultrasound techniques. Ultrasound measurements were compared with the volume determined by water-displacement method to evaluate measurement accuracy. Inter-observer reproducibility and intra-observer repeatability of measurements were evaluated. Four patients with enlarged neck nodes were included to evaluate intra-observer repeatability of ultrasound measurements. Results demonstrated that lymph nodes that appeared ill-defined on grayscale ultrasound showed well-defined boundaries on elastography. 3-D elastography has higher measurement accuracy (84.2%), reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC = 0.909) and repeatability (ICC = 0.964-0.988) than does 3-D grayscale ultrasound (62.2%, 0.777 and 0.863-0.906 respectively). As a conclusion, 3-D elastography is accurate and reliable in volume measurement of ill-defined lymph nodes and has potential for accurate assessment of lymph node volume.
authors: Department of Health Technology and Informatics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. htmying@polyu.edu.hk
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Ying
authors: Yong-Ping
authors: YP
authors: Zheng
authors: Brian Chin-Wing
authors: BC
authors: Kot
authors: James Chung-Wai
authors: JC
authors: Cheung
authors: Sammy Chi-Him
authors: SC
authors: Cheng
authors: Dora Lai-Wan
authors: DL
authors: Kwong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D015588:Observer Variation; D009929:Organ Size; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013552:Swine