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Ultrasonography and ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration biopsy of head and neck lesions: A surgical perspective
Author(s) -
Mcivor Nicholas P.,
Freeman Jeremy L.,
Salem Shia,
Elden Lisa,
Noyek Arnold M.,
Bedard Yvan C.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1288/00005537-199406000-00005
Subject(s) - medicine , ultrasound , fine needle aspiration , radiology , biopsy , malignancy , pathology
A head and neck ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration clinic was set up to determine the role of ultrasound and ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration in the evaluation of patients with lesions in this region. One hundred ninety‐five lesions were biopsied by ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration in 203 patients. Ultrasound detected 2 or more lesions in 14 (48%) of 29 patients with a clinically solitary thyroid nodule. Three (8.8%) of 34 lesions thought to be within the parotid gland were determined to be external. A pronounced learning curve was evident in the technique of ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration, particularly for nonpalpable disease. Adequacy of sampling for each 3‐month period was 71%, 89%, and 94%, respectively. Seventy‐four percent of central aspirations were satisfactory compared to 54% of peripheral aspirations. Ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration did not alter the clinical staging of metastatic neck disease in 8 patients having 10 neck dissections but proved useful in detecting nodal recurrence in 3 irradiated necks that did not proceed to surgery. The smallest node to harbor malignancy had 4‐mm maximal axial diameter. We conclude that ultrasound and ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration are valuable adjuncts to the clinical examination.