Ultrasound Diagnosis for Retrojugular Lymphadenopathy in the Patient Having a History of Total Thyroidectomy due to Thyroid Malignancy

Abstract

Copyrights © 2012 The Korean Society of Radiology Purpose: This study aimed to assess the accuracy of ultrasound (US) diagnosis for retrojugular lymphadenopathy in patients who had undergone total thyroidectomy, due to thyroid malignancy. Materials and Methods: During a follow-up period after total thyroidectomy, due to known thyroid malignancy, 41 patients underwent US diagnosis and US-guided fine-needle aspiration for retrojugular lymphadenopathy. Each lymphadenopathy was prospectively classified by a single radiologist into 1 of 3 diagnostic categories: “benign”, “indeterminate for malignancy”, and “malignant”. Based on the cytohistopathology result, thyroglobulin tittering, and sonographic follow-up, the adequacy of US diagnosis for retrojugular lymphadenopathy was assessed. Results: Of the 41 retrojugular lymphadenopathies, malignant (n = 25) and benign (n = 16) lymphadenopathy were finally confirmed. Excluding 15 lymph nodes with indeterminate US diagnosis, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, accuracy, and false positive and negative rates of US diagnosis were 100%, 66.7%, 95.8%, 100%, 96.2%, 0%, and 10%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the incidence of retrojugular lymphadenopathy, according to age, sex, and location (p > 0.05). Conclusion: In the patient with a history of total thyroidectomy, due to thyroid malignancy, US diagnosis for retrojugular lymphadenopathy showed a high accuracy. Index terms Cervical Lymphadenopathy Retrojugular Ultrasound Metastatic Biopsy, Fine-Needle Ultrasound Diagnosis for Retrojugular Lymphadenopathy in the Patient Having a History of Total Thyroidectomy due to Thyroid Malignancy 갑상선암으로 갑상선전절제술을 시행 받았던 환자에서 발견된 후경정맥 림프절 병변에 대한 초음파 진단