Basic quantitative analysis of the ultrasonographic findings of cervical lymph nodes

超声检查是评估颈部淋巴结的一种有用的成像工具。灰度超声广泛应用于颈部淋巴结的数量、大小、位置、形态、边界、消光及内部结构的评估。大小是最常用的诊断标准；灵敏度和特异性差别很大，取决于所使用的截止值。因此，我们认为超声检查的内部结构是转移性淋巴结最可靠的征象。建立超声图像内部结构定量分析的技术方法是十分必要的。目的：本研究的目的是评价口腔癌颈部肿大淋巴结的超声内部结构及修正复杂性值（MCV），以确定MCV是否为鉴别转移性和非转移性淋巴结的有效诊断参数。对象和方法：应用线性超声扫描检查50例颈部肿大淋巴结（转移27例，未转移23例）及椭球型超声影影。在16个灰度级中重构了256幅灰度图像。MCV的计算是将像素的总长度平方除以感兴趣区域（ROI）中相同密度水平的图像的总面积。淋巴结的明确诊断是通过颈部清扫后的组织学检查得到的。结果与讨论：不同条件下幻肢的mcv无差异。是一样的。转移性淋巴结的MCV值总和高于非转移性淋巴结。结论：口腔癌颈淋巴肿大的淋巴结声像图MCV值是鉴别颈淋巴肿大转移与非转移的有效指标。

Ultrasonography is an useful imaging tool in the assessment of cervical lymph nodes. Gray-scale ultrasonography is widely used in the evaluation of the number, size, site, shape, borders, matting and internal architectures of cervical lymph nodes. Size is the most frequently used criterion for diagnosis ; sensitivity and specificity vary widely, depending on the cutoff value that is used. So, we consider that the internal architecture with the ultrasonogram is the most reliable sign of a metastatic lymph nodes. It is necessary for us to establish a technical method for the quantitative analysis of ultrasonographic internal architecture.Purpose : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ultrasonographic internal architecture of enlarged cervical lymphnodes from the oral carcinoma with the modified complexity value (MCV), and to determine whether the MCV is a valid diagnostic parameter in the differentiation between metastatic and non-metastatic lymphnodes.Subjects and Methods : The ellipsoid ultrasonographic phantom and 50 enlarged cervical lymphnodes (metastasis ; 27, non-metastasis ; 23) were examined with a linear ultrasound scanner. Two hundred fifty six gray scale images were reconstructed in the 16 gray scale stages. MCV was calculated to divide the total length squared of pixels by the total area of the images in the same density level in the region of interest (ROI). Definite diagnosis of the nodes was obtained by histological examination following neck dissection.Results and Discussion : MCVs in the different conditions of the phantom were not differed each other. the same one. The sum of MCV values of the metastatic lymphnodes was higher than that of the non-metastatic lymphnodes.Conclusion : The MCV of lymphnode ultrasonogram is an useful parameter for differentiation between metastatic and non-metastatic enlargement in the cervical lymphadenopathy in the oral carcinoma.