超声评估甲状腺癌颈部转移淋巴结的研究进展

甲状腺癌近年来呈高发趋势，尤其是乳头状癌（PTC）。PTC预后较好，但部分患者就诊时已有淋巴结转移，后者是术后复发的重要危险因素。常规灰阶超声可评估甲状腺结节及颈部淋巴结形态、大小、边界、内部回声及血流模式等，结合超声造影血流增强模式动态显示及定量参数评估、超声弹性成像可定性判断及测定结节硬度，超声引导下细针穿刺细胞病理学及分子检测可进一步提升对甲状腺乳头状癌颈部转移性淋巴结的诊断能力。本文主要对超声评估甲状腺癌颈部转移淋巴结的研究进展做一综述。

Progress in evaluation of cervical metastatic lymph nodes of thyroid neoplasms with ultrasonography

Thyroid cancer has a high morbidity in recent years, especially papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Though the prognosis of PTC is generally decent, metastatic lymph nodes(MLN) may exist at the time of clinical diagnosis in some patients, which are currently considered one of important risk factors for tumor recurrence. Conventional ultrasonography gray scale mode can evaluate the morphology, size, boundary, internal echo and flow mode of thyroid nodules and cervical lymph nodes. Combining with dynamic enhancement mode and quantitative parameter evaluation of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), qualitative judgment and quantitative determination of nodules hardness with ultrasound elastography, cytopathology and molecular detection with ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology, the diagnosis of cervical MLN of PTC has been greatly improved. The advancements of ultrasonography in evaluation of cervical MLN of thyroid cancer were mainly reviewed in this article.