Association of Ultrasound in Evaluation of Impalpable Supraclavicular Lymph Nodes in Patients with Suspected Lung Cancer

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer in the world as well in Bangladesh. Diagnosis is usually confirmed by invasive procedures such as bronchoscopy, mediastinoscopy, or image guided biopsy. In this prospective study suspected lung cancer patients with N2 or N3 disease on CT scan had gone through ultrasound guided FNAC from impalpable, enlarged supraclavicular lymph nodes. If positive, this technique helps to both stage the patient and provide a confirmed diagnosis. Ninety one (91) patients were enrolled prospectively over a 1 year period in National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital (NIDCH), Dhaka, Bangladesh from 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017. Fifty one (51) of 91 patients who have more than 5mm in size supraclavicular lymph nodes were studied. The overall malignant yield was 39.56% of patients scanned and 70.58% of patients sampled. As a result of FNAC, 37 patients (40.66%) avoided more invasive procedures. For diagnosis and staging of lung cancer, Ultrasound guided FNAC is a new modality and comparatively non invasive procedure.