Initial experience of acoustic radiation force impulse ultrasound imaging of cervical lymph nodes

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging in differentiating benign from malignant peripheral lymphadenopathy. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study approved by the Institutional Review Board with financial grant for the same. Ultrasound and ARFI imaging of peripheral lymph nodes were performed and correlated with pathological results, which were used as the reference standard. The virtual touch tissue imaging and virtual touch tissue quantification parameters of ARFI were analyzed in 86 lymph nodes, of which 78 were included in the study. Using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the diagnostic usefulness of ARFI values were evaluated with respect to their sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve. Results: The mean area ratio of benign lymph nodes was 0.88 (±0.2) and that of malignant lymph nodes was 1.17 (±0.14). The mean shear wave velocities (SWV) of benign and malignant lymph nodes were 2.02 m/s (±0.94) and 3.7 m/s (±2.27), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of virtual touch imaging area ratio in differentiating benign from malignant lymph nodes was 97% and 77%, of SWV was 71% and 70%, and of SWV ratio was 68% and 79%, respectively. Conclusion: As ARFI was found to have a superior diagnostic performance over conventional ultrasound and color Doppler in the characterization of lymph nodes, we recommend its routine use in differentiating benign from malignant nodes.

Download Full-text

Efficacy of acoustic radiation force impulse elastography in differentiation of benign and malignant lymph nodes

Asian Journal of Oncology ◽

10.4103/asjo.asjo_48_17 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 03 (02) ◽

pp. 106-110 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rashmi Sudhir ◽

M. V. T. Krishna Mohan ◽

Bogala Shilpa ◽

Veeraiah K. Chaudhary

Keyword(s):

Lymph Nodes ◽

Operating Characteristic ◽

Acoustic Radiation ◽

Radiation Force ◽

Acoustic Radiation Force ◽

Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse ◽

Tissue Imaging ◽

Arfi Elastography ◽

The Mean ◽

Malignant Lymph Nodes

Abstract Aims and Objectives: Aim of this study was to assess the clinical usefulness of Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) elastography imaging in differentiating benign and malignant/metastatic superficial nodes. Methods and Materials: ARFI elastography (Siemens Medical Solutions, Mountain View, CA) using Virtual touch Tissue Imaging (VTI) technique was performed and Shear wave velocity (m/sec) was measured in 85 patients (mean age, 49 years; range, 16–72 years) with 126 lymph nodes (96 axillary, 21 cervical and 9 inguinal nodes) which were biopsied and histo-pathologically correlated. Results: Of 126 nodes, 71 were benign (64 reactive and 7 koch's) and 55 were malignant (40 metastases and 15 lymphoma). The mean ARFI value of malignant nodes ±SD (4.42 ± 2.60) were significantly higher than the benign nodes (1.76 ± 0.44), with P <0.001. With the use of Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, the cut off SWV was estimated to be 2.45m/s with sensitivity of 83.6%, specificity of 91%, and accuracy of 93.7 % while the conventional US based short axis diameter (SAD) measurement with cut off value of 10mm, showed the sensitivity of 62 %, specificity of 87% and accuracy of 87%. Conclusion: Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography is feasible for superficial lymph nodes and provides quantitative elasticity measurements, which may complement B-mode ultrasound and potentially improve the differentiation of benign and malignant/metastatic lymph nodes.

Download Full-text