Experimental study for detecting cervical lymph node micro-metastasis using Doppler ultrasonography

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Results of this study were as follows :1. Power Doppler ultrasonography (US) of cervical metastatic lymph nodes in rabbit with oral carcinoma (VX2 carcinoma implanted) using high frequency transducers (14MHz) was compared with intranodal angiography. Power Doppler Us could present intranodal vascularization almost compatible to intranodal angiography. Therefore, it was considered that power Doppler Us was useful to assess the intranodal angioarchitecture.2. Histopathologic finding and angiography showed that intranodal vasculization increased transiently in early stage of the tumor growth in lymph node, and thereafter decreased as the tumor growth advanced. In some case, peripheral vascularization of metastatic lymph node was found in advanced stage of intranodal tumor growth. Power Doppler Us could also reveal these change of intranodal vascularization in the tumor growth process.3. Pulse Doppler Us showed that velocity of blood flow at hilar region increased transiently in early stage of the tumor growth in lymph node, thereafter decreased as the tumor growth advanced. The phase of the maximum velocity of blood flow at hilar region associated with the phase then focal area of no perfusion was shown.4. Pulse Doppler Us showed that the vessel at hilar region had beats as the velocity of the blood flow increased.5. Peripheral blood flow was found in some cases of the metastatic lymph nodes when area of no perfusion within lymph node was presented.6. Above results suggested that when tumor implants in lymph node, firstly the velocity blood flow at hilar increase, and then intranodal vascularization increase transiently, and thereafter intranodal vascularization decrease as the tumor growth advanced, accompanying with the presence of peripheral vascularization in some cases.7. It was considered that we could detect cervical lymph node metastasis in early stage (micro-metastasis) using Doppler US.