Objective:

To investigate the application value and the key technique of ultrasound-guided percutaneous biopsy of neck lymphadenopathy by freehand.

Methods:

Forty-two patients with neck lymphadenopathy of unknown cause from March 2011 to March 2013 underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous biopsy using 18 G or 16 G tissue biopsy needle by freehand

The size of 1ymph nodes was 1.0 cm0.6 cm-8.6 cm5.0 cm. Each patient was punctured 2 to 5 times

A biopsy was considered technically successful if a targeted tissue was obtained and it could meet the requirement of qualitatively pathologic diagnosis.

Results

: The rate of technically successful biopsy which could meet the requirement of qualitatively

pathologic diagnosis was 92.9%

The pathological results showed that lymph nodes in 12 patients (28.6%) were malignant

including metastatic carcinoma in 7 patients and malignant lymphoma in 5 patients

while lymph nodes in 26 patients (61.9%) were benign

including tuberculous lymphadenitis in 14 patients

reactive hyperplasia in 5 patients

chronic granulomatous inflammation in 4 patients and histiocytic necrotizingly lymphadenitis in 3 patients. There was one case with uncertainty (2.4%).

Conclusion:

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous biopsy by freehand is real-time

accurate

flexible and minimally invasive. It has high value in diagnosis of cervical lymphadenopathy.