Color Doppler ultrasonography for evaluation of cervical lymphadenopathy / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the usefulness of color Doppler ultrasonography in differential diagnosis of cervical lymphadenopathy by depicting the intranodal vascular pattern. Methods One hundred and twenty lymph node lesions in 113 patients who underwent color Doppler flow imaging were grouped as reactive lymphadenitis ( n =25), tuberculosis ( n =14), lymphoma ( n =41), and metastasis ( n =40). The vascular patterns of hilar type, central type, peripheral type and mixed type were assessed. Results Most reactive lymph nodes( 92.0%) and lymphomatous nodes( 75.6%) showed hilar vessels,lymphomatous nodes also frequently demonstrated peripheral vessels( 75.6%).Central vessels or peripheral vessels were frequent in metastatic nodes( 60.0% and 57.5%, respectively).The intranodal vascular distribution in tuberculous nodes was simulated malignant disease. Avascularity was observed in 2 of 25 reactive lymph nodes and 1 of 14 tuberculous nodes. Conclusions Central vessels or peripheral vessels were mainly found in malignant lymphadenopathy,and the presence of hilar vessels is suggestive of benign lymphadenopathy. However, there is overlap of appearance between benign and malignant disease.