The importance and role of echotomographic examinations in malignant altered axillary lymph nodes

Introduction: The presence of malignant altered axillary lymph nodes, and their timely detection is crucial for staging and prognosis of breast cancer. Echotomographic examinations are widely used technique, and represents one of the first tests of diagnostic modalities. Classic B mode, Doppler sonography, and MicroPure testing technique, allow a comprehensive assessment of the detailed morphology and internal structure of the nodes (number, location, size, shape, borders, echogenicity, edema of the surrounding soft-tissue, the presence of microcalcifications), and determination of their nature. Objective: The aim is to determine the role of echotomographic review the morphology, determining the nature and setting guidelines for diagnostic testing algorithm for malignant altered axillary lymph nodes. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study included 212 echotomographic tested axillary lymph nodes in the Department of Radiological Diagnostics KBC 'Dr Dragisa Misovic-Dedinje' in Belgrade, in the period from February 2016.do March 2017. All patients were examined in the supine position with arms in abduction, and external rotation. The following parameters: shape, size, and homogeneity of the echo-structure, edge, an auxiliary structures such as intranodal necrosis, edema and peripheral vascularization, as well as the presence of microcalcifications, using classical B mode, Doppler sonography and MicroPure technique. For all examinations we used Toshiba device, Aplio XG, 10MHz linear transducer. Results: Of a total of 212 tested nodule, histopathology was also verified 44 malignantly changed (21%), 4 of which the primary (9%) in a patient with Hodgkin's lymphoma, and secondary 40 (91%) in patients with breast cancer. Other nodes 168 (79%) were normal-reactive. The best performance in the echotomographic examinations are the criteria of: the shape (longitudinal cross-ratio <2) with a sensitivity of 86.9%, presence of microcalcifications with sensitivity of 83,7%, hilus (not clearly defined, and hypoechogenic) with sensitivity of 81.8%, the size (transverse diameter greater than 8mm), with a sensitivity of 79.2%, as well as echogenicity (hypo to anechogenic) with sensitivity of 73.1%. Conclusion: Echotomographic review is a useful imaging modality in evaluating the morphology and nature of axillary lymph nodes, but none echotomographic criterion in itself is not enough reliable in evaluating malignancy. Meticulousness when reviewing and examining all the criteria and modalities (B mode, Doppler, MicroPure) remain imperative in the diagnostic algorithm of tests axillary lymph nodes.