Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to detect and compare the diagnostic performances of
vascularity index (VI) via superb microvascular imaging (SMI) and shear wave elastography
(SWE) in metastatic axillary lymphadenopathy and lymphadenitis.
Materials and methods
The study is based on 45 female patients who were ultrasonographed due to swelling
in the axilla and underwent SWE and SMI before tru-cut biopsy, between August 2019
and February 2021. The patients had a total of 53 lymph nodes (LNs), 38 of these were
metastatic and 15 were lymphadenitis.
Results
The results showed that mean volumes, value of cortex thickness, elasticity and velocity
values, and mean VI values were significantly higher in metastatic LAP group compared
to lymphadenitis group. Correlation analysis showed that both VI (r: 0.44) and elastography
(r: 0.52) values were positively correlated with the cortex thickness, while elastography
values were strongly correlated with volume (r: 0.42) and short diameter (r: 0.40).
For differentiating lymphadenitis and metastatic LAP, the optimal cut-off VI value
was 8.55 while the optimal cut-off elastography value was 31.8 kPa.
Conclusion
In conclusion, combined grayscale ultrasonography evaluation of lymph nodes with SWE
and SMI increase the diagnostic performance in distinguishing lymphadenitis-metastatic
LAP.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 05, 2022
Accepted:
March 9,
2022
Received in revised form:
January 11,
2022
Received:
December 11,
2021
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
