Radiology, Vol 191, 795-798, Copyright © 1994 by Radiological Society of North America

ARTICLES

Enlarged cervical lymph nodes at helical CT

HJ Steinkamp, N Hosten, C Richter, H Schedel and R Felix
Department of Radiology, Freie Universitat Berlin, Klinikum Rudolf Virchow/Standort Wedding, Germany.

PURPOSE: To evaluate criteria for differentiating malignant versus reactive lymph nodes in the head and neck on the basis of findings at helical computed tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Helical CT scans were evaluated of 70 consecutive patients (46 men and 24 women, aged 20-78 years [mean, 51 years]) with known head and neck tumors and cervical lymph node enlargement. The ratio of the maximal longitudinal to the maximal axial diameter (L/T) was calculated for nodes larger than 8 mm in diameter based on measurements obtained from coronal, paraxial, and sagittal reconstructions. RESULTS: At histologic examination, 96 of 164 nodes were malignant. Of these, 94 of 96 nodes had an L/T of less than 2 (sensitivity, 97%; specificity, 97%; accuracy, 97% for malignancy). Minimal diameter was more than 8 mm in 83 of 96 nodes (sensitivity, 87%; specificity, 89%; accuracy, 88% for malignancy). Low-attenuation centers and rim enhancement were seen in 75 of 96 nodes (sensitivity, 78%; specificity, 100%; accuracy, 86% for malignancy). CONCLUSION: The L/T at helical CT provide an accurate assessment of reactive versus malignant nodes in the head and neck.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Memarsadeghi, C. C. Riedl, A. Kaneider, A. Galid, M. Rudas, W. Matzek, and T. H. Helbich Axillary Lymph Node Metastases in Patients with Breast Carcinomas: Assessment with Nonenhanced versus USPIO-enhanced MR Imaging. Radiology, November 1, 2006; 241(2): 367 - 377. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y Morimoto, H Kurokawa, T Tanaka, Y Yamashita, S Kito, S Okabe, T Takahashi, and T Ohba Correlation between the incidence of central nodal necrosis in cervical lymph node metastasis and the extent of differentiation in oral squamous cell carcinoma Dentomaxillofac. Radiol., January 1, 2006; 35(1): 18 - 23. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Eida, M. Sumi, K. Yonetsu, Y. Kimura, and T. Nakamura Combination of Helical CT and Doppler Sonography in the Follow-up of Patients with Clinical N0 Stage Neck Disease and Oral Cancer AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., March 1, 2003; 24(3): 312 - 318. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Keberle, A. Tschammler, and D. Hahn Single-Bolus Technique for Spiral CT of Laryngopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Comparison of Different Contrast Material Volumes, Flow Rates, and Start Delays Radiology, July 1, 2002; 224(1): 171 - 176. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				R. Groell, O. Doerfler, G. J. Schaffler, and W. Habermann Contrast-Enhanced Helical CT of the Head and Neck: Improved Conspicuity of Squamous Cell Carcinoma on Delayed Scans Am. J. Roentgenol., June 1, 2001; 176(6): 1571 - 1575. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Yonetsu, M. Sumi, M. Izumi, M. Ohki, S. Eida, and T. Nakamura Contribution of Doppler Sonography Blood Flow Information to the Diagnosis of Metastatic Cervical Nodes in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer: Assessment in Relation to Anatomic Levels of the Neck AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., January 1, 2001; 22(1): 163 - 169. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. T. Yang, W. W. M. Lam, M. Y. Yu, T. H. Cheung, and C. Metreweli Comparison of Dynamic Helical CT and Dynamic MR Imaging in the Evaluation of Pelvic Lymph Nodes in Cervical Carcinoma Am. J. Roentgenol., September 1, 2000; 175(3): 759 - 766. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Murakami, M. Furusawa, Y. Baba, R. Nishimura, F. Katsura, M. Eura, K. Masuyama, and M. Takahashi Dynamic Helical CT of T1 and T2 Glottic Carcinomas: Predictive Value for Local Control with Radiation Therapy AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., July 1, 2000; 21(7): 1320 - 1326. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. D. Moritz, A. Ludwig, and J.-W. Oestmann Contrast-Enhanced Color Doppler Sonography for Evaluation of Enlarged Cervical Lymph Nodes in Head and Neck Tumors Am. J. Roentgenol., May 1, 2000; 174(5): 1279 - 1284. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. D. Cheson, S. J. Horning, B. Coiffier, M. A. Shipp, R. I. Fisher, J. M. Connors, T. A. Lister, J. Vose, A. Grillo-Lopez, A. Hagenbeek, et al. Report of an International Workshop to Standardize Response Criteria for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas J. Clin. Oncol., April 1, 1999; 17(4): 1244 - 1244. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. G. Mack, J. O. Balzer, R. Straub, K. Eichler, and T. J. Vogl Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide-enhanced MR Imaging of Head and Neck Lymph Nodes Radiology, January 1, 2002; 222(1): 239 - 244. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]