Abstract:

Objective This study aimed to analyze the two-dimensional ultrasonographic manifestations of cervical lymph node tuberculosis and then compare with pathological results. Methods A total of 101 lymph nodes in 63 patients with cervical lymph node tuberculosis who were admitted to Beijing Research Institute for Tuberculosis Control from September 2015 to August 2019 were collected, including 16 males (25.4%) and 47 females (74.6%); with age from 18 to 70 years, and the median age (quartile) was 29 (25, 43) years. The ultrasonographic manifestations and pathological results of patients with cervical lymph node tuberculosis were retrospectively analyzed. Results In 63 patients, 27 cases (42.9%) involved bilateral neck, 14 cases (22.2%) involved left, and 22 cases (34.9%) involved right. According to the international general 7 partition method, among these 101 involved lymph nodes, 3 (2.9%) lymph nodes were located in the submandibular and submental region (level Ⅰ), 84 (83.2%) lymph nodes were located around the sternocleidomastoid muscles (level Ⅱ, Ⅲ,Ⅳ), 14 (13.9%) lymph nodes were located in the supraclavicular region and posterior triangle (level Ⅴ), and none was located in the anterior region of neck (level Ⅵ) and the high mediastinum region (level Ⅶ). The involved lymph nodes were mostly elliptic and quasi-circular, and most of them were scattered, while a few of them were fused with each other. According to the ultrasonographic manifestations, 101 involved lymph nodes could be divided into five types, including 18 (17.8%) of solid inflammatory type, 39 (38.6%) of caseous necrosis type, 19 (18.8%) of peripheral inflammatory type, 6 (6.0%) of abscess sinus type, and 19 (18.8%) of healing calcification type. Conclusion The two-dimensional ultrasonographic manifestations of cervical lymph node tuberculosis are closely related to its pathological changes The ultrasound sonogram can intuitively reflect the various stages of the lesion, and can be used as the preferred imaging method for the disease.

Key words: Tuberculosis, lymph node, Ultrasonography, Disease attributes, Pathological conditions, signs and symptoms