Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Nov;49(11):4057-4073.
doi: 10.1007/s00261-024-04390-w. Epub 2024 Jun 6.

Tips and tricks for a proper radiological assessment of abdominal and pelvic lymph nodes

Ana Laura Lopes Potente  1 , Cynthia Lopes Pereira de Borborema  2 , Iza Campos Pedra Vieira  2 , Aley Talans  2   3 , Eduardo Oliveira Pacheco  2   4 , Lucas Rios Torres  2   4 , Serli Kiyomi Nakao Ueda  2   3 , Fernanda Lopez Mazzucato  2   3 , Andrei Saraiva Purysko  5 , Daniel Lahan Martins  6 , Ulysses Santos Torres  2   4 , Giuseppe D'Ippolito  2   4
Affiliations
Review

Tips and tricks for a proper radiological assessment of abdominal and pelvic lymph nodes

Ana Laura Lopes Potente et al. Abdom Radiol (NY). 2024 Nov.

Abstract

The assessment of lymph node dimensions is a commonly used criterion in analyzing lymphatic involvement related to inflammatory or neoplastic diseases. However, it is important to understand that the interpretation of lymph nodes goes beyond simply considering their size. A pathologic lymph node can present with enlarged dimensions, a heterogeneous appearance, increased cortex thickness, irregular contours, or a lobulated shape. In this context, it is essential to consider not only the dimensions but also the morphology, attenuation, and enhancement of lymph nodes on imaging exams. This article aims to demonstrate how characteristics of lymph nodes, beyond their size, can provide crucial insights that assist in diagnostic reasoning, focusing on computed tomography. By emphasizing different enhancement patterns, attenuation, and the potential contents related to these patterns, the study seeks to show how these features can indicate possible differential diagnoses and guide more accurate clinical assessments.

Keywords: Computed tomography; Diagnostic imaging; Lymph nodes; Lymphoid tissue.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Mao Y, Hedgire S, Prapruttam D, Harisinghani • Mukesh. Imaging of Pelvic Lymph Nodes.
    1. Einstein DM, Singer AA, Chilcote WA, Desai RK. Abdominal lymphadenopathy: spectrum of CT findings. RadioGraphics. 1991 May;11(3):457–72. - PubMed - DOI
    1. Maconi G, Radice E, Porro GB. Mesenteric Lymphadenopathy. In 2007. p. 11–8.
    1. Lucey BC, Stuhlfaut JW, Soto JA. Mesenteric Lymph Nodes Seen at Imaging: Causes and Significance. RadioGraphics. 2005 Mar;25(2):351–65. - PubMed - DOI
    1. Tunçez HÇ, Koç AM, Adıbelli ZH, Arslan FZ, Argon A, Oğuzdoğan GY. Diagnostic efficacy of ultrasonography, Doppler ultrasonography and elastography in the evaluation of suspected malignant lymph nodes. J Ultrason. 2023 Jan 5;23(92).

MeSH terms