Prevalence of enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes in heavy smokers--a comparative study

Management of Isolated Thoracic Lymphadenopathy of Unclear Etiology: A Survey of Physicians and Literature Review

Background After identifying incidental mediastinal lymph nodes, decisions need to be made regarding the required follow-up imaging, the intervals at which this imaging should be performed, the types of imaging and procedures needed, and when to discontinue the follow-up. The purpose of this study is to determine the majority opinion on the management of these findings and provide recommendations for future management of incidental mediastinal lymphadenopathy.  Methodology Sixty-two healthcare providers from a variety of specializations were surveyed on their preference for diagnostic workup and subsequent follow-up following the finding of incidental mediastinal lymphadenopathy on computed tomography (CT) of the chest. Results For thoracic lymphadenopathy of unclear etiology and patients who are not offered endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), most providers (47/62, 75.8%) initiate the CT scan follow-up at size 10 to 14 mm. Of those patients, 51.6% (32/62) of providers repeat the initial CT scan in three months and 41.9% (26/62) repeat the initial CT scan in six months. If the follow-up CT chest shows stable lymphadenopathy, 47.5% (29/62) repeat a CT chest every six months and 37% (23/62) repeat a CT chest every 12 months. The majority of providers (42/62, 67.7%) do not use positron emission tomography (PET)-CT for the initial evaluation of isolated thoracic lymphadenopathy and follow-up of lymphadenopathy with increasing size. For thoracic lymph nodes with a maximum diameter of 10 mm, only 4.8% (3/62) of providers continue CT screening after 24 months, while 24.6% (15/62) of providers continue CT screening after 24 months for sizes greater than 20 mm. Regarding the timing of EBUS-TBNA, 40.3% (25/62) of providers consider referring/performing this procedure at lymph nodes of size 11-15 mm, followed by 21% (13/62) of providers referring/performing the procedure at size 10 mm. Conclusions The majority of providers initiate CT scan follow-ups at 10 to 14 mm size for patients with isolated thoracic lymphadenopathy. The majority of providers do not use PET-CT for the initial evaluation of isolated thoracic lymphadenopathy. We found variable responses from providers regarding the timing of follow-up intervals and total duration. There is a need for consensus guidelines regarding the management of thoracic lymphadenopathy of unclear etiology.

Hybrid imaging of the abdomen and pelvis

Accurate imaging is crucial for lesion detection in abdominal organs, for the noninvasive characterization of focal and diffuse abnormalities, and for surgical planning. To accomplish these tasks, several imaging modalities such as multidetector computer tomography (MDCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) are used for abdominal imaging, providing important morphological, functional or metabolic information. More recently, PET/MRI has been gaining attention due to the possibility of combining high-resolution imaging with metabolic imaging. PET/MRI is a novel hybrid imaging technology that in the near future might play a pivotal role in the clinical management of oncologic and inflammatory abdominopelvic diseases. Despite the still limited number of published clinical studies, PET/MRI has been proven to be at least equivalent to PET/CT and to standalone MRI in a variety of oncologic disease. Moreover, in selected and focused clinical studies, it has been proven to outperform current standard of care imaging, for example, in evaluating cholangiocarcinomas, liver metastases, untreated and treated rectal cancer. This has also had an impact on therapeuticmanagement in some studies. Therefore in some institutions, including those of the authors, PET/MRI is becoming the new standard imaging modality in staging treatment-naïve intrahepatic massforming cholangiocarcinomas and prior to complicated hepatic surgery.

[Hybrid imaging of the abdomen and pelvis. German version]

Accurate imaging is crucial for lesion detection in abdominal organs, for the noninvasive characterization of focal and diffuse abnormalities, and for surgical planning. To accomplish these tasks, several imaging modalities such as multidetector computer tomography (MDCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) are used for abdominal imaging, providing important morphological, functional or metabolic information. More recently, PET/MRI has been gaining attention due to the possibility of combining high-resolution imaging with metabolic imaging. PET/MRI is a novel hybrid imaging technology that in the near future might play a pivotal role in the clinical management of oncologic and inflammatory abdominopelvic diseases. Despite the still limited number of published clinical studies, PET/MRI has been proven to be at least equivalent to PET/CT and to stand-alone MRI in a variety of oncologic disease. Moreover, in selected and focused clinical studies, it has been proven to outperform current standard of care imaging, for example, in evaluating cholangiocarcinomas, liver metastases, untreated and treated rectal cancer. This has also had an impact on therapeutic management in some studies. Therefore in some institutions, including those of the authors, PET/MRI is becoming the new standard imaging modality in staging treatment-naïve intrahepatic mass-forming cholangiocarcinomas and prior to complicated hepatic surgery.

[Influence of external and endogenous factors on cervical lymph nodes : Sonographic study of size and morphology]

BACKGROUND

Sonographic evaluation of the dignity of cervical lymph nodes is essential for further diagnostics and treatment concepts in various diseases. The aim of this prospective monocenter study was to determine the sonomorphology and size of benign changes of lymph nodes in healthy subjects and patients who had undergone surgery, in order to examine the influence of various factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data from 205 healthy subjects and 15 patients before and after surgery were analyzed. Sonographically representative lymph nodes were measured in diameter and volumes were calculated; margins, the recognizability of a hilus, and vascularization were documented. A detailed medical history was taken using a standardized questionnaire.

RESULTS

In 20-39-year-olds, lymph node diameters were larger than in 40-59- and over 60-year-olds, and in 40-59-year-olds, the lymph nodes were larger than over 60-year-old subjects. Individuals with consumption of less than 10 and 10-20 cigarettes per day showed larger cervical lymph nodes compared to subjects with a consumption of more than 20 cigarettes per day. Smokers who additionally exercised routinely showed larger lymph nodes than those who never smoked or exercised. In addition, we observed that both the size and the number of cervical lymph nodes increased postoperatively compared to preoperative.

CONCLUSION

The recorded lymph nodes corresponded to the established sonographic criteria of benign lymph nodes. Our results show that age, smoking intensity, combination of smoking with sporting activity, and surgery influence the size of sonographically measured cervical lymph nodes.

Performance of Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration for the Diagnosis of Isolated Mediastinal and Hilar Lymphadenopathy

BACKGROUND

Although many studies have assessed the diagnostic utility of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in the context of a specific disease, few studies have assessed the overall diagnostic yield, sensitivity, and negative predictive value in patients with isolated mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy (IMHL).

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated the performance of EBUS-TBNA for diagnosing IMHL in a population with a high prevalence of concurrent or preexisting non-pulmonary malignancy.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent EBUS-TBNA from October 2008 to April 2014 was performed to identify patients with IMHL. Patients with known or suspected primary pulmonary malignancy were excluded. When available, EBUS-TBNA results were cross-referenced with further diagnostic investigation or clinical diagnosis based on follow-up.

RESULTS

EBUS-TBNA was used to sample 765 lymph nodes from 350 patients. One hundred and fourteen (33.3%) patients had a concurrent or preexisting non-pulmonary malignancy. The overall yield of EBUS-TBNA for specific diagnosis was 300/350 (86%). The diagnostic yield for sarcoidosis, lymphoproliferative disease, metastatic lymphadenopathy from extrathoracic malignancy, and necrotizing granuloma was 123/149 (83%), 27/33 (82%), 20/25 (80%), and 13/19 (68%), respectively. Amongst 50 patients with non-diagnostic EBUS-TBNA, 25 yielded an insufficient sample and another 25 yielded only benign lymphoid material which was not representative of the underlying pathology. Overall, EBUS-TBNA had a sensitivity of 89%, a diagnostic yield of 86%, and a negative predictive value of 79%.

CONCLUSION

For patients with isolated hilar or mediastinal lymphadenopathy and a high background prevalence of concurrent and preexisting non-pulmonary malignancy, EBUS-TBNA is a reliable first-line diagnostic investigation.

An overview of PET/MR, focused on clinical applications

Hybrid PET/MR scanners are innovative imaging devices that simultaneously or sequentially acquire and fuse anatomical and functional data from magnetic resonance (MR) with metabolic information from positron emission tomography (PET) (Delso et al. in J Nucl Med 52:1914-1922, 2011; Zaidi et al. in Phys Med Biol 56:3091-3106, 2011). Hybrid PET/MR scanners have the potential to greatly impact not only on medical research but also, and more importantly, on patient management. Although their clinical applications are still under investigation, the increased worldwide availability of PET/MR scanners, and the growing published literature are important determinants in their rising utilization for primarily clinical applications. In this manuscript, we provide a summary of the physical features of PET/MR, including its limitations, which are most relevant to clinical PET/MR implementation and to interpretation. Thereafter, we discuss the most important current and emergent clinical applications of such hybrid technology in the abdomen and pelvis, both in the field of oncologic and non-oncologic imaging, and we provide, when possible, a comparison with clinically consolidated imaging techniques, like for example PET/CT.

A study of patients with isolated mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy undergoing EBUS-TBNA

Background

Isolated mediastinal and/or hilar lymphadenopathy (IMHL) may be caused by benign and malignant disorders or be ‘reactive’. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has a reported low negative predictive value (NPV) in IMHL, necessitating mediastinoscopy in selected patients. The aim of this study was to examine the NPV of EBUS-TBNA in an IMHL population and determine whether clinical variables differentiate between pathological and reactive IMHL.

Methods

Analysis of a prospectively maintained database of consecutive patients with IMHL referred to a single UK centre for EBUS-TBNA.

Results

100 patients with IMHL had EBUS-TBNA during the study (March 2010–February 2013), mean age 58.6±15.7 years, 63% men, 70% white British and mean follow-up 16.8±8.6 months. Pathological cause of IMHL established in 52 patients (sarcoidosis n=20, tuberculosis n=18, carcinoma n=7, lymphoma n=6, benign cyst n=1), 43 from EBUS-TBNA. 48/57 negative EBUS-TBNA samples were true negatives reflecting reactive lymphadenopathy in 48%. The diagnostic accuracy of EBUS-TBNA was 91% and NPV was 84.2% (95% CI 72.6% to 91.5%). Multivariate analysis of clinical covariates showed age (odds ratio (OR) 1.07, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.13; p=0.033), the presence of a relevant comorbidity (OR 9.49, 95% CI 2.20 to 41.04; p=0.003) and maximum lymph node size (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.83; p=0.00004) to differentiate between reactive and pathological IMHL. Stratification of the study population according to comorbidity and maximum lymph node size (<20 mm) identified a low-risk cohort (n=32) where the NPV of EBUS-TBNA was 93.8% (95% CI 79.9% to 98.3%).

Conclusions

Reactive lymphadenopathy accounts for a significant proportion of patients with IMHL. In carefully selected patients with IMHL and a negative EBUS-TBNA, surveillance rather than further invasive sampling may be an appropriate strategy.

Clinical impact of PET/MR imaging in patients with cancer undergoing same-day PET/CT: initial experience in 134 patients--a hypothesis-generating exploratory study

PURPOSE

To compare the clinical impact of combined positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to that of combined PET and computed tomography (CT) performed on the same day in patients with cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This HIPAA-compliant retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board. Patients gave written informed consent for study enrollment, including the possibility to use their imaging and clinical data in future evaluations. A total of 134 patients with cancer with a non-central nervous system primary neoplasm underwent same-day fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT and FDG PET/MR imaging. PET/CT and PET/MR studies were independently interpreted by teams of radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians. Four readers, divided into two teams composed of one radiologist and one nuclear medicine physician each, read all 134 studies. The referring physician classified discordance between PET/CT and PET/MR observations either as findings affecting clinical management or as findings not affecting clinical management. Data were compared with the χ(2) test.

RESULTS

Findings affecting clinical management were noted for PET/CT studies but not for PET/MR studies in two (1.5%) of 134 patients and for PET/MR studies but not for PET/CT studies in 24 (17.9%) of 134 patients. The discrepancies between findings affecting clinical management detected with PET/MR imaging over those detected with PET/CT were significant (P < .001).

CONCLUSION

In these patients, PET/MR imaging alone contributed to clinical management more often than did PET/CT alone. PET/MR imaging provides information that affects the care of patients with cancer and is unavailable from PET/CT. Online supplemental material is available for this article.