ABSTRACT
Objective:To discuss the ultrasonographic features of ganglioneuroma(GN), ganglioneuroblastoma-intermixed(GNBi), ganglioneuroblastoma-nodular(GNBn), neuroblastoma(NB) in children and to improve the ultrasound diagnostic accuracy of four kinds of neuroblastic tumors.Methods:Two hundred and seventy-nine patients with neuroblastic tumors(23GN, 44GNBi, 86GNBn, 126NB) confirmed by surgery and pathological diagnosis in Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics from June 2014 to February 2019 were retrospectively analysed. The ultrasonographic data were summarized and compared with pathological results.Results:The median age were 6.9 years in GN group, 3.9 years in GNBi group, 3.0 years in GNBn group and 2.0 years in NB group. The median values of serum neuron-specific enolase(NSE) were 6.3 μg/L in GN group, 9.6 μg/L in GNBi group, 22.6 μg/L in GNBn group and 40.7 μg/L in NB group respectively. There was no distant metastasis of GN, while 9% GNBi, 26% GNBn and 36% NB had distant metastasis; GN and GNBi group had no invasion to adjacent tissues and organs, while 9% GNBn and 15% NB lesions had invasion to adjacent tissues and organs; 91% GN, 70% GNBi, 58% GNBn lesions had complete capsule, while 44% NB lesions had incomplete capsule and 28% NB had no capsule; 96%GN, 57%GNBi lesions were round or oval, while 57%GNBn, 60%NB lesions showed irregular shape; 96%GN showed homogeneous hypoechoic, 75% GNBi had "cloudy" inhomogeneous echoe, while hyperechoic nodules were seen in 59% GNBn and 75% NB lesions; 65%GN lesions contained discrete and punctate calcifications, while 27%GNBi, 29%GNBn, 25%NB lesions contained coarse calcifications; 100%GN, 91%GNBi, 91%GNBn lesions had little to moderate blood flow, while 33%NB lesions had abundance blood flow; 4%GN, 41%GNBi, 51%GNBn, 49%NB lesions surrounded blood vessels; 13%GN, 5%GNBi, 6%GNBn, 8%NB lesions had spinal canal invasion; GN had no lymph node metastasis, but 48%GNBi, 59%GNBn, 56%NB lesions had lymph node metastasis.Conclusions:The ultrasonographic characteristics of GN are largely different from GNBi, GNBn and NB; There are some differences in ultrasonographic features of GNBi, GNBn and NB, but some of them are difficult to identify.