title: Elucidation of Percutaneously Accessible Lymph Nodes in Swine: A Large Animal Model for Interventional Lymphatic Research.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To define percutaneously accessible, anatomically reproducible swine lymph nodes using magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, and ethiodized oil (Lipiodol; Guerbet, Bloomington, Indiana) lymphangiography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five adult female swine (Yorkshire, 50-60 kg) were used. Under general anesthesia, T1-weighted and T2-weighted, coronal and axial images of the entire swine were obtained. The animal's extrathoracic, extraperitoneal soft tissues from the neck to the groins were examined with ultrasound. Lymph nodes ≥ 1 cm were marked before the animal was transferred to the angiography suite. Under ultrasound guidance, the nodes were accessed, and lymphangiograms were obtained. The imaging findings between the 3 modalities were correlated, and the lymph node drainage was mapped.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four lymph nodes/lymph node groups were identified that were reproducible in all 5 animals, > 1 cm and percutaneously accessible: submandibular node, superficial cervical lymph node group, subiliac node, and superficial inguinal lymph node group. Drainage of these nodes mirrored human anatomy. The abdominopelvic lymphatics formed a retroperitoneal cisterna chyli and drained cephalad via a thoracic duct.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The swine exhibits reproducible lymphatic anatomy with at least 4 percutaneously accessible lymph nodes/lymph node groups. Based on these results, the swine may be a suitable large animal model for research into lymphatic interventions.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology, Interventional Radiology Center, Sheikh Zayed Tower, Suite 7203, 1800 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD 21287.
authors.forename: Dara
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kraitchman
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology, Interventional Radiology Center, Sheikh Zayed Tower, Suite 7203, 1800 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD 21287.
authors.forename: Ihab
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kamel
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology, Interventional Radiology Center, Sheikh Zayed Tower, Suite 7203, 1800 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD 21287; Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Interventional Radiology Center, Sheikh Zayed Tower, Suite 7203, 1800 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD 21287.
authors.forename: Clifford
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology, Interventional Radiology Center, Sheikh Zayed Tower, Suite 7203, 1800 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD 21287; Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Interventional Radiology Center, Sheikh Zayed Tower, Suite 7203, 1800 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD 21287. Electronic address: g_christos@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Georgiades
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004998:Ethiodized Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008220:Lymphography / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D023421:Models, Animal; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013045:Species Specificity; D034421:Sus scrofa; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D004998:Ethiodized Oil