Новые возможности ультразвуковой оценки состояния лимфатических узлов шеи при раке слизистой оболочки полости рта

Background. Incidence of oral cancer in Russia is 4.52 and mortality – 2.44. Head and neck cancer is characterized by the high risk of development of metastases in regional lymph nodes. Lymph nodes status exerts influence on the treatment plan and appears to be the major predictive factor. Regional metastases result into two-fold decrease of five-year survival. Therefore, evaluation and treatment of metastatic lymph nodes is of prime importance. Objective. The aim of this manuscript was to illustrate and summarize publications devoted to modern methods of ultrasound evaluation of cervical lymph node status in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity. Results. Numerous studies have demonstrated, that standard ultrasound investigation (in B-mode) is characterized by high sensitivity and specificity (specificity varies from 71.0 to 96.4 %, and specificity – from 46.6 to 91.0 %, according to different studies). In addition, ultrasound efficiency exceeds that of CT. Accuracy of ultrasound as the method of cervical lymph node investigation has increased after implementation of such methods, as elastography and elastometry (this techniques allow to achieve sensitivity of 98.1 % and specificity of 100 %).