Hj. Steinkamp et al., CERVICAL LYMPHADENOPATHY - RATIO OF LONG-AXIS TO SHORT-AXIS DIAMETER AS A PREDICTOR OF MALIGNANCY, British journal of radiology, 68(807), 1995, pp. 266-270
The purpose of this study was to evaluate short- and long-axis diamete
rs of enlarged cervical lymph nodes with ultrasonography and to determ
ine whether the long-to-short axis (1/s) ratio is a valid diagnostic p
arameter in the differentiation between benign and malignant nodal dis
ease. 730 enlarged cervical lymph nodes in 285 patients were examined
with ultrasound. The short- and the long-axis diameters of each enlarg
ed node were measured and the 1/s ratio calculated. Definite diagnoses
of the nodes were obtained by histological examination following neck
dissection. 95% of enlarged cervical nodes shown on ultrasound to hav
e a 1/s ratio of more than 2 were correctly diagnosed as benign. Nodes
presenting with a more circular shape and a 1/s ratio of less than 2
were diagnosed correctly as metastases with 95% accuracy. The 1/s rati
o of lymph nodes thus provides an excellent criterion for differentiat
ion between benign and malignant enlargement in cervical lymphadenopat
hy.