Ultrasound-based diagnosis for the cervical lymph nodes in a tuberculosis-endemic area.
OBJECTIVE
No previous ultrasound (US) studies have investigated the diagnostic accuracy of specific US-based diagnostic protocol for cervical lymph node (LN) lesions in a tuberculosis-endemic area. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of US-based diagnosis of cervical LNs in a tuberculosis-endemic area.


METHODS
This was a retrospective cohort study.


METHODS
We enrolled 495 consecutive patients who underwent US examination of the LNs in the neck. A single radiologist carried out the US examination, and established a US-based diagnosis at the time of the examination in each of the patients. We calculated the diagnostic accuracy of US for LNs in the neck by using the final results as a reference standard.


RESULTS
Of 476 study cases, the number of tuberculous, nontuberculous benign, malignant, and indeterminate US category cases was 74, 224, 152, and 26, respectively. Confirmed diagnoses in these cases were as follow: tuberculous LN (n = 69), nontuberculous benign LN (n = 249), and malignant LN (n = 158). The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of tuberculous, malignant, and nontuberculous benign US categories were 90.9%, 96.4%, 81.1%, 98.4%, and 95.6%; 92.8%, 96.6%, 93.4%, 96.3%, and 95.3%; and 92.2%, 95.0%, 95.1%, 92.0%, and 93.6%, respectively. All US categories showed a high sensitivity and specificity.


CONCLUSIONS
The present US-based diagnostic protocol for cervical LNs in a tuberculosis-endemic area may be useful.


METHODS
4.
Department of Radiology , Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University School of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
In S
IS
Moon
Dong W
DW
Kim
Hye J
HJ
Baek
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D061765:Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009333:Neck; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
D004269:DNA, Bacterial
Neck; endemic; lymph node; metastasis; tuberculosis; ultrasound