The diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound for cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis

Objective To investigate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for the diagnosis of cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis (CTL). Methods The cohort study included 203 consecutive patients diagnosed with cervical lymph node. Before pathological or laboratory confirmation, all patients underwent CEUS examination, and the imaging findings were analyzed afterward. The diagnostic efficiency of the CEUS imaging findings of CTL was evaluated. Results Nighty-seven patients of the 203 (47.8%) were pathologically or laboratory confirmed with a CTL diagnosis while the remainder (52.2%) were diagnosed with non-tuberculous lymphadenitis. Regarding the imaging findings of CEUS, it was more common in CTL patients to find a pattern of heterogeneous enhancement inside the lymph nodes relative to non-tuberculous patients [81.44% (79/97) vs 15.09% (16/106), P Conclusions CEUS patterns of heterogeneous enhancement and peripheral rim-like enhancement of lymph nodes are helpful characteristics for the diagnosis of CTL.