Assessment of cervical lymph node metastases using indirect computed tomography lymphography with iopamidol in a tongue VX2 carcinoma model

2011 ◽  
Vol 125 (8) ◽  
pp. 820-828 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Shu ◽  
X Xu ◽  
Z Wang ◽  
W Dai ◽  
Y Zhang ◽  
...  

AbstractObjective:To investigate the performance of indirect computed tomography lymphography with iopamidol for detecting cervical lymph node metastases in a tongue VX2 carcinoma model.Materials and methods:A metastatic cervical lymph node model was created by implanting VX2 carcinoma suspension into the tongue submucosa of 21 rabbits. Computed tomography images were obtained 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes after iopamidol injection, on days 11, 14, 21 (six rabbits each) and 28 (three rabbits) after carcinoma transplantation. Computed tomography lymphography was performed, and lymph node filling defects and enhancement characteristics evaluated.Results:Indirect computed tomography lymphography revealed bilateral enhancement of cervical lymph nodes in all animals, except for one animal imaged on day 28. There was significantly slower evacuation of contrast in metastatic than non-metastatic nodes. A total of 41 enhanced lymph nodes displayed an oval or round shape, or local filling defects. One lymph node with an oval shape was metastatic (one of 11, 9.1 per cent), while 21 nodes with filling defects were metastatic (21/30, 70 per cent). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values when using a filling defect diameter of 1.5 mm as a diagnostic criterion were 86.4, 78.9, 82.9, 82.6 and 83.3 per cent, respectively.Conclusion:When using indirect computed tomography lymphography to detect metastatic lymph nodes, filling defects and slow evacuation of contrast agent are important diagnostic features.

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 76-81
Author(s):  
V. S. Parshin ◽  
A. A. Veselova ◽  
V. S. Medvedev ◽  
S. A. Ivanov ◽  
A. D. Kaprin

Introduction. Cervical lymph node metastases can occur not only in patients when they are first diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer but also in patients who have undergone thyroidectomy. Objective. The aim of this study was to assess the potential utility of neck ultrasound in diagnosing cervical lymph node metastases (levels I–VII) in patients who underwent surgical treatment for papillary thyroid cancer.Material and Methods. B-mode sonography of all nodal levels in the neck was performed using a linear array transducer in the frequency range of 7.5–13 MHz, power mapping and panoramic scan to locate regional lymph node metastases. All lymph nodes removed during reoperations were submitted for histological evaluation. Sonographic examinations of cervical lymph nodes of the levels I–VII were performed in 2875 patients who had undergone thyroidectomy in different regions of the Russian Federation. The patients were admitted to our clinic to receive radioactive iodine therapy. All neck levels were assessed by ultrasound.Results. Sonography revealed cervical lymph node metastases in 267 (9.2 %) of 2875 patients with papillary thyroid cancer who had undergone thyroidectomy. Nodal metastasis in level VI only occurred in 70 (2.4 %) patients, in levels II–III–IV only in 150 (5.21 %), in level VB only in 32 (1.11 %), and at the same time in level VI and in levels II–III–IV in 15 (0.52 %) patients. There were no metastases in levels I, VA, VII of the neck. Solitary metastases to all levels were found in 7.5 %, multiple metastases in 1.2 %, and conglomerates in 0.6 % of cases. Solitary metastases in level VI were noted in 56 (1.9 %), in levels II–III–IV in 125 (4.3 %), and in level VB in 29 (1.0 %) patients. Multiple metastases in level VI were detected in 11 (0.38 %), in levels II–III–IV in 21 (0.73 %), and in level VB in 3 (0.1 %) patients. Median metastasis size was 2.1 ± 1.6 cm.Conclusion. Post-thyroidectomy patients were found to have cervical lymph node metastases. Ultrasound scanning of the neck should be considered a key examination if there are cicatricial changes as it enables to identify metastasis and to determine its location. The maximal number of metastases was noted in levels II–III–IV. Cervical lymph node metastases occurred less frequently in the central level and level VB. The predominant metastatic pattern was solitary. There was an essential difference in metastatic spread to cervical lymph nodes between postthyroidectomy patients and patients who were first diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer. 


2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (21) ◽  
pp. 2370-2375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Abdelgadir Adam ◽  
John Pura ◽  
Paolo Goffredo ◽  
Michaela A. Dinan ◽  
Shelby D. Reed ◽  
...  

Purpose Cervical lymph node metastases are recognized as a prognostic indicator only in patients age 45 years or older with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC); patients younger than age 45 years are perceived to have low-risk disease. The current American Joint Committee on Cancer staging for PTC in patients younger than age 45 years does not include cervical lymph node metastases. Our objective was to test the hypothesis that the presence and number of cervical lymph node metastases have an adverse impact on overall survival (OS) in patients younger than age 45 years with PTC. Patients and Methods Adult patients younger than age 45 years undergoing surgery for stage I PTC (no distant metastases) were identified from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB; 1998-2006) and from SEER 1988-2006 data. Multivariable models were used to examine the association of OS with the presence of lymph node metastases and number of metastatic nodes. Results In all, 47,902 patients in NCDB (11,740 with and 36,162 without nodal metastases) and 21,855 in the SEER database (5,188 with and 16,667 without nodal metastases) were included. After adjustment, OS was compromised for patients with nodal metastases compared with patients who did not have them (NCDB: hazard ratio (HR), 1.32; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.67; P = .021; SEER: HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.56; P = .006). After adjustment, increasing number of metastatic lymph nodes was associated with decreasing OS up to six metastatic nodes (HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.25; P = .03), after which more positive nodes conferred no additional mortality risk (HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.05; P = .75). Conclusion Our results suggest that cervical lymph node metastases are associated with compromised survival in young patients, warranting consideration of revised American Joint Committee on Cancer staging. A change point of six or fewer metastatic lymph nodes seems to carry prognostic significance, thus advocating for rigorous preoperative screening for nodal metastases.


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