The Diagnostic Utility of Ultrasonography, CT and PET/CT for the Preoperative Evaluation of Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Cancer Patients

Abstract

Purpose To compare the diagnostic utility of ultrasonography (US), CT and positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) in the preoperative evaluation of cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma. Materials and Methods The study population consisted of 300 patients with pathologically diagnosed papillary thyroid carcinoma after thyroidectomy and neck dissection. Preoperative US, CT, and PET/CT findings were compared with pathologic outcomes after thyroidectomy and neck dissection. Results Sensitivity in detecting central lymph node metastasis (US 29.9%, CT 27.9%, PET/CT 18.8%) was lower than that for lateral lymph node metastasis (US 56.3%, CT 66.2%, PET/CT 43.7%). Specificity in detecting central lymph node metastasis (US 80.6%, CT 77.7%, PET/CT 83.0%) was lower than that for lateral lymph node metastasis (US 96.8%, CT 80.6%, PET/CT 95.2%). The combination of US and CT had higher specificity (77.3%) and higher sensitivity (33.1%) than US alone. PET/CT has no significant additional benefit over the combination of US and CT. Conclusion In preoperative evaluations of neck lymph node metastasis, US and CT and PET/CT are more useful in lateral lymph node areas than in central lymph node areas. The combination of US and CT has higher sensitivity than US alone.

Keywords

• thyroid gland
• carcinoma
• papillary
• ultrasonography
• tomography
• x-ray computed
• positron-emission tomography