Value of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of benign and malignant axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer

  Objective  To study the value of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of benign and malignant lymph nodes in breast cancer.

  Methods  A total of 74 patients with unilateral breast cancer and ipsilateral axillary lymphadenopathy admitted to our hospital were selected. According to the pathological diagnosis, the axillary lymph nodes were divided into control group(38 patients with benign lymph nodes) and observation group(36 patients with metastatic lymph nodes). Routine ultrasound examination and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography were performed on both axillary lymph nodes. Taking pathological diagnosis as the gold standard, the diagnostic value of conventional ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound was analyzed, the sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic coincidence rate of the two groups were compared.

  Results  The incidence of length diameter to short diameter ratio (L/S) < 2, internal echo unevenness and broad cortex in the control group were significantly lower than those in the observation group (P < 0.05). The blood flow distribution and enhancement pattern of two groups showed significant difference (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in blood flow resistance index between the control group and the observation group (P>0.05). The contrast enhancement time of the control group was significantly shorter than that of the observation group (P < 0.05). The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of contrast-enhanced ultrasound were higher than conventional ultrasound, but the differences between the two groups showed no statistically significant (P>0.05). The diagnostic coincidence rate of contrast-enhanced ultrasound was significantly higher than that of conventional ultrasound (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography is a non-invasive and safe therapy, which can make up the deficiency of conventional ultrasound in diagnosis, and has higher sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic coincidence rate in the diagnosis of benign and malignant axillary lymph nodes of breast cancer.