Ultrasound Examination of Cervical Nodes in Treatment of Oral Cavity Carcinoma

Abstract

The objective of the work was to evaluate the reliability of ultrasound examination of regional cervical nodes in treatment of patients with spinocellular carcinoma of the oral cavity.One hundred and twenty-two patients with oral cavity spinocellular carcinoma were treated in 2000-2004. Seventy-one patients underwent a surgical treatment of the neck. Fifty-eight (81,7%) patients had positive ultrasound finding in terms of suspect metastases; in 32 patients metastases were proved by histological examination. Sensitivity of ultrasound examination by 84%, specificity by 21% and positive predicting value by 55% were registered in the evaluated file.The work results proved the ultrasound examination to be a convenient method for node affection extent determination before starting the treatment and during the dispensing period. Increasing of the reliability, especially the specificity is possible by using high-quality equipment and also by interval reduction of follow-up examination during the post-operative period at least in the course of the first two years. In case of indistinct findings, either CT or PET examination is necessary to be done.

Keywords

• metastases
• spinocellular carcinoma of the oral cavity
• ultrasound examination