The role of high resolution ultrasound with guided cytology of groin lymphnodes in the management of squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva: a pilot study
Ec. Moskovic et al., The role of high resolution ultrasound with guided cytology of groin lymphnodes in the management of squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva: a pilot study, BR J OBST G, 106(8), 1999, pp. 863-867
The accuracy of high resolution ultrasound with guided fine needle aspirati
on cytology in detecting inguinal lymph node involvement was assessed in 24
women undergoing radical vulvectomy and groin node dissection for squamous
cell vulval cancer. Of the 43 groins dissected, ultrasound correctly diagn
osed the lymph node status in 36, with five false positive and two false ne
gative results. Cytology in 40 groins showed no false positive and five fal
se negative results. The sensitivity and specificity for the combined techn
iques were 83% and 82% respectively. Assessed together, the combined techni
que failed to detect metastatic disease in two groins; in both cases the ex
tent of nodal metastatic involvement was a solitary focus < 3 mm in diamete
r. The ultrasound and fine needle aspiration procedure is safe and well tol
erated and can be repeated as needed for surveillance. The authors suggest
that this procedure should be evaluated further to determine whether a poli
cy of individual selection for lymphadenectomy can be implemented based on
this technique.