Metastatic node(s) from papillary thyroid carcinoma (PCTa) or follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTCa)
Papillary (80-90%) more common than follicular (5%)
IMAGING
General Features
Ultrasonographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Microscopic Features
Staging, Grading, & Classification
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Liu Z et al: Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonographic features for lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: a single-center retrospective study. World J Surg Oncol. 15(1):32, 2017
Kim DW et al: Sonographic features of cervical lymph nodes after thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma. J Ultrasound Med. 32(7):1173-80, 2013
Yoo YH et al: Sonographic findings predictive of central lymph node metastasis in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma: influence of associated chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis on the diagnostic performance of sonography. J Ultrasound Med. 32(12):2145-51, 2013
Lee YYP et al: Ultrasound in head and neck cancer. In Glastonbury CM et al: Head and neck cancer: state of the art diagnosis, staging, and surveillance. Specialty Imaging. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 1-18-25, 2012
Lim YC et al: Occult lymph node metastases in neck level V in papillary thyroid carcinoma. Surgery. 147(2):241-5, 2010
Sohn YM et al: Diagnostic approach for evaluation of lymph node metastasis from thyroid cancer using ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration biopsy. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 194(1):38-43, 2010
Kaplan SL et al: The role of MR imaging in detecting nodal disease in thyroidectomy patients with rising thyroglobulin levels. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 30(3):608-12, 2009
Lim YC et al: Central lymph node metastases in unilateral papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. Br J Surg. 96(3):253-7, 2009
Roh JL et al: Use of preoperative ultrasonography as guidance for neck dissection in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma. J Surg Oncol. 99(1):28-31, 2009
Rotstein L: The role of lymphadenectomy in the management of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. J Surg Oncol. 99(4):186-8, 2009
Schmidt D et al: Impact of 131I SPECT/spiral CT on nodal staging of differentiated thyroid carcinoma at the first radioablation. J Nucl Med. 50(1):18-23, 2009
Ahuja AT et al: Ultrasound of malignant cervical lymph nodes. Cancer Imaging. 8:48-56, 2008
Roh JL et al: Central cervical nodal metastasis from papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: pattern and factors predictive of nodal metastasis. Ann Surg Oncol. 15(9):2482-6, 2008
Roh JL et al: Lateral cervical lymph node metastases from papillary thyroid carcinoma: pattern of nodal metastases and optimal strategy for neck dissection. Ann Surg Oncol. 15(4):1177-82, 2008
Soler ZM et al: Utility of computed tomography in the detection of subclinical nodal disease in papillary thyroid carcinoma. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 134(9):973-8, 2008
Sugitani I et al: Prospective outcomes of selective lymph node dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma based on preoperative ultrasonography. World J Surg. 32(11):2494-502, 2008
Yanir Y et al: Regional metastases in well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma: pattern of spread. Laryngoscope. 118(3):433-6, 2008
de Bondt RB et al: Detection of lymph node metastases in head and neck cancer: a meta-analysis comparing US, USgFNAC, CT and MR imaging. Eur J Radiol. 64(2):266-72, 2007
Leboulleux S et al: Ultrasound criteria of malignancy for cervical lymph nodes in patients followed up for differentiated thyroid cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 92(9):3590-4, 2007
Roh JL et al: Total thyroidectomy plus neck dissection in differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma patients: pattern of nodal metastasis, morbidity, recurrence, and postoperative levels of serum parathyroid hormone. Ann Surg. 245(4):604-10, 2007
Watkinson JC et al: Detection and surgical treatment of cervical lymph nodes in differentiated thyroid cancer. Thyroid. 16(2):187-94, 2006
Wong KT et al: Ultrasound of thyroid cancer. Cancer Imaging. 5:157-66, 2005
Ahuja AT et al: Metastatic cervical nodes in papillary carcinoma of the thyroid: ultrasound and histological correlation. Clin Radiol. 50(4):229-31, 1995
Evans RM et al: The linear echogenic hilus in cervical lymphadenopathy--a sign of benignity or malignancy? Clin Radiol. 47(4):262-4, 1993
van den Brekel MW et al: Lymph node staging in patients with clinically negative neck examinations by ultrasound and ultrasound-guided aspiration cytology. Am J Surg. 162(4):362-6, 1991
Tohnosu N et al: Ultrasonographic evaluation of cervical lymph node metastases in esophageal cancer with special reference to the relationship between the short to long axis ratio (S/L) and the cancer content. J Clin Ultrasound. 17(2):101-6, 1989
Related Anatomy
Loading...
Related Differential Diagnoses
Loading...
References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Top Differential Diagnoses
Clinical Issues
Diagnostic Checklist
TERMINOLOGY
Abbreviations
Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTCa)
Definitions
Metastatic node(s) from papillary thyroid carcinoma (PCTa) or follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTCa)
Papillary (80-90%) more common than follicular (5%)
IMAGING
General Features
Ultrasonographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Microscopic Features
Staging, Grading, & Classification
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Liu Z et al: Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonographic features for lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: a single-center retrospective study. World J Surg Oncol. 15(1):32, 2017
Kim DW et al: Sonographic features of cervical lymph nodes after thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma. J Ultrasound Med. 32(7):1173-80, 2013
Yoo YH et al: Sonographic findings predictive of central lymph node metastasis in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma: influence of associated chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis on the diagnostic performance of sonography. J Ultrasound Med. 32(12):2145-51, 2013
Lee YYP et al: Ultrasound in head and neck cancer. In Glastonbury CM et al: Head and neck cancer: state of the art diagnosis, staging, and surveillance. Specialty Imaging. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 1-18-25, 2012
Lim YC et al: Occult lymph node metastases in neck level V in papillary thyroid carcinoma. Surgery. 147(2):241-5, 2010
Sohn YM et al: Diagnostic approach for evaluation of lymph node metastasis from thyroid cancer using ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration biopsy. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 194(1):38-43, 2010
Kaplan SL et al: The role of MR imaging in detecting nodal disease in thyroidectomy patients with rising thyroglobulin levels. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 30(3):608-12, 2009
Lim YC et al: Central lymph node metastases in unilateral papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. Br J Surg. 96(3):253-7, 2009
Roh JL et al: Use of preoperative ultrasonography as guidance for neck dissection in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma. J Surg Oncol. 99(1):28-31, 2009
Rotstein L: The role of lymphadenectomy in the management of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. J Surg Oncol. 99(4):186-8, 2009
Schmidt D et al: Impact of 131I SPECT/spiral CT on nodal staging of differentiated thyroid carcinoma at the first radioablation. J Nucl Med. 50(1):18-23, 2009
Ahuja AT et al: Ultrasound of malignant cervical lymph nodes. Cancer Imaging. 8:48-56, 2008
Roh JL et al: Central cervical nodal metastasis from papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: pattern and factors predictive of nodal metastasis. Ann Surg Oncol. 15(9):2482-6, 2008
Roh JL et al: Lateral cervical lymph node metastases from papillary thyroid carcinoma: pattern of nodal metastases and optimal strategy for neck dissection. Ann Surg Oncol. 15(4):1177-82, 2008
Soler ZM et al: Utility of computed tomography in the detection of subclinical nodal disease in papillary thyroid carcinoma. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 134(9):973-8, 2008
Sugitani I et al: Prospective outcomes of selective lymph node dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma based on preoperative ultrasonography. World J Surg. 32(11):2494-502, 2008
Yanir Y et al: Regional metastases in well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma: pattern of spread. Laryngoscope. 118(3):433-6, 2008
de Bondt RB et al: Detection of lymph node metastases in head and neck cancer: a meta-analysis comparing US, USgFNAC, CT and MR imaging. Eur J Radiol. 64(2):266-72, 2007
Leboulleux S et al: Ultrasound criteria of malignancy for cervical lymph nodes in patients followed up for differentiated thyroid cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 92(9):3590-4, 2007
Roh JL et al: Total thyroidectomy plus neck dissection in differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma patients: pattern of nodal metastasis, morbidity, recurrence, and postoperative levels of serum parathyroid hormone. Ann Surg. 245(4):604-10, 2007
Watkinson JC et al: Detection and surgical treatment of cervical lymph nodes in differentiated thyroid cancer. Thyroid. 16(2):187-94, 2006
Wong KT et al: Ultrasound of thyroid cancer. Cancer Imaging. 5:157-66, 2005
Ahuja AT et al: Metastatic cervical nodes in papillary carcinoma of the thyroid: ultrasound and histological correlation. Clin Radiol. 50(4):229-31, 1995
Evans RM et al: The linear echogenic hilus in cervical lymphadenopathy--a sign of benignity or malignancy? Clin Radiol. 47(4):262-4, 1993
van den Brekel MW et al: Lymph node staging in patients with clinically negative neck examinations by ultrasound and ultrasound-guided aspiration cytology. Am J Surg. 162(4):362-6, 1991
Tohnosu N et al: Ultrasonographic evaluation of cervical lymph node metastases in esophageal cancer with special reference to the relationship between the short to long axis ratio (S/L) and the cancer content. J Clin Ultrasound. 17(2):101-6, 1989
STATdx includes over 200,000 searchable images, including x-ray, CT, MR, and ultrasound images. To access all images, please log in or subscribe.