title: Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration for retrojugular lymph nodes in the neck.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  No study on ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (US-FNA) for the diagnosis of retrojugular lymph node has been reported. The present study aimed to introduce US-FNA techniques for retrojugular lymph node and to evaluate their efficacy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of the 788 patients who underwent US-FNA of the cervical lymph node, 41 patients underwent US-FNAs of retrojugular lymph node and were included in this study. The adequacy and efficacy of US-FNA of retrojugular lymph node and related complications during or after the procedure were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 41 patients, 35 (85.4%) were adequately diagnosed in cytological analysis; four predominantly cystic lymph nodes were identified. Based on cytohistopathology results, thyroglobulin measurement, tuberculosis polymerase chain reaction, and sonographic follow-up, malignant (n = 26) and benign (n = 15) lymph nodes were confirmed. When six lymph nodes with inadequate cytology were classified as benign and malignant, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of US-FNA in differentiating malignant from benign lesions were 69.2% and 92.3%, 100% and 100%, 100% and 100%, 65.2% and 88.2%, and 80.5% and 95.1%, respectively. No substantial complications related to the US-FNA procedure were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present US-FNA method may be helpful for the diagnosis of retrojugular lymph node.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea. dwultra@lycos.co.kr
authors.forename: Dong Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D061765:Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult