TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of ultrasound and ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy of lymph nodes in patients with skin tumours
AU - Solivetti, Francesco Maria
AU - Elia, Fulvia
AU - Santaguida, Maria Giulia
AU - Guerrisi, Antonino
AU - Visca, Paolo
AU - Cercato, Maria Cecilia
AU - Di Carlo, Aldo
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Background. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound (US) in the study of superficial lymph nodes during the follow-up of patients surgically treated for skin tumours. The secondary objective was to compare positive cytological results with histological reports. Patients and methods. From 2004 to 2011, 480 patients (male/female: 285/195; median age 57 years; prevalent skin tumour: melanoma) underwent US-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of suspicious recurrent lymph nodes. An expert radiologist first performed US testing of the lymph nodes, expressing either a negative or positive outcome of the test. Subsequently, US-guided FNAB was performed. FNAB positive patients were subjected to lymphadenectomy; the patients who tested negative underwent the follow-up. Results. The size of lymph nodes was = 2 cm in 90% of cases. Out of the 336 (70%) US "positive" patients, 231 (68.8%) were FNAB positives. Out of the 144 (30%) US "negatives", 132 (91.7%) were FNAB negatives. The sensitivity and specificity of the US were 95% and 55.7%, respectively; the negative predictive value was 91.7% and the positive predictive value was 68.8%. Definitive histological results confirmed FNAB positivity in 97.5% of lymphadenectomies. Conclusions. US is a sensitive method in the evaluation of superficial lymph nodes during the follow-up of patients with skin tumours. High positive predictive value of cytology was confirmed.
AB - Background. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound (US) in the study of superficial lymph nodes during the follow-up of patients surgically treated for skin tumours. The secondary objective was to compare positive cytological results with histological reports. Patients and methods. From 2004 to 2011, 480 patients (male/female: 285/195; median age 57 years; prevalent skin tumour: melanoma) underwent US-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of suspicious recurrent lymph nodes. An expert radiologist first performed US testing of the lymph nodes, expressing either a negative or positive outcome of the test. Subsequently, US-guided FNAB was performed. FNAB positive patients were subjected to lymphadenectomy; the patients who tested negative underwent the follow-up. Results. The size of lymph nodes was = 2 cm in 90% of cases. Out of the 336 (70%) US "positive" patients, 231 (68.8%) were FNAB positives. Out of the 144 (30%) US "negatives", 132 (91.7%) were FNAB negatives. The sensitivity and specificity of the US were 95% and 55.7%, respectively; the negative predictive value was 91.7% and the positive predictive value was 68.8%. Definitive histological results confirmed FNAB positivity in 97.5% of lymphadenectomies. Conclusions. US is a sensitive method in the evaluation of superficial lymph nodes during the follow-up of patients with skin tumours. High positive predictive value of cytology was confirmed.
KW - Fine needle aspiration biopsy
KW - Follow-up
KW - Skin tumours
KW - Ultrasound
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U2 - 10.2478/raon-2013-0084
DO - 10.2478/raon-2013-0084
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84893797295
VL - 48
SP - 29
EP - 34
JO - Radiology and Oncology
JF - Radiology and Oncology
SN - 1318-2099
IS - 1
ER -