Ultrasound-Guided Core Needle Biopsy of Cervical Lymphadenopathy in Patients with Lymphoma: The Clinical Efficacy and Factors Associated with Unsuccessful Diagnosis

Huang, Pei Ching; Liu, Chia Yee; Chuang, Wen Yu; Shih, Lee Yung; Wan, Yung Liang

doi:10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2010.05.018

« Previous Next »Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology
Volume 36, Issue 9 , Pages 1431-1436, September 2010

Ultrasound-Guided Core Needle Biopsy of Cervical Lymphadenopathy in Patients with Lymphoma: The Clinical Efficacy and Factors Associated with Unsuccessful Diagnosis

Pei Ching Huang
- Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
Chia Yee Liu
- Department of Statistics, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
Wen Yu Chuang
- Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
Lee Yung Shih
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
Yung Liang Wan
- Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Address correspondence to: Yung-Liang Wan, M.D., Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, 5 Fuhsing Rd, Taoyuan, Taiwan (333).

Received 20 January 2010; received in revised form 9 April 2010; accepted 17 May 2010.

Abstract

This study attempts to identify factors that influence the success or failure of subclassifying 154 cases of neck lymphoma by ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy (UGCNB). Variables including age, gender, nodal size, cutting needle bore, number of core tissues obtained, presence of nodal necrosis or infarct, fragmentation of the specimens and subclassification of lymphoma were reviewed and statistically analyzed to check if they were related to the success of UGCNB. UGCNB was successful in subclassifying lymphoma in 138 (89.7%) cases, in diagnosing lymphoma in 11 (7.1%) and unsuccessful in diagnosing lymphoma in five (3.2%) cases. No complications were encountered. The factors leading to failure in subclassification included the presence of composite lymphoma (p = 0.001), nodal necrosis or infarct (p = 0.001) and insufficiency or fragmentation of the specimens (p < 0.001). UGCNB is a safe and efficient procedure in subclassifying lymphoma. It may obviate surgical biopsy in 89.7% of cases. (E-mail: ylw0518@adm.cgmh.org.tw)

Key Words: Accuracy and failure of ultrasound-guided core biopsy, Cervical lymphadenopathy, Lymphoma, Subtyping