Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33224822›Full record

ArticleGland surgery2020

The value of ultrasound in diagnosing metastatic internal mammary lymph nodes in preoperative breast cancer.

Xiaohui Ji, Kexin Shi, Juanjuan Li, Mengying Wei, Zhikun Liu, Jianxia Xu

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Gland surgery, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.2field-weighted citation impact, top 52% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Xiaohui JiDepartment of Ultrasound, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
Kexin ShiDepartment of Ultrasound, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
Juanjuan LiDepartment of Ultrasound, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
Mengying WeiDepartment of Ultrasound, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
Zhikun LiuDepartment of Ultrasound, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
Jianxia XuDepartment of Ultrasound, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University · CNHebei Medical University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInternal mammary lymph nodes (IMLNs) metastasis is of great significance for patients with breast cancer (BC), but the diagnosis of metastasis is difficult. The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of metastatic internal mammary lymph nodes visualized on breast ultrasound (US) in preoperative breast cancer.

methodsBetween March 2014 and May 2020, a total of 278 patients with primary BC were enrolled in a retrospective study and were divided into a metastatic group (n=224) and a non-metastatic group (n=54) according to IMLN status. Medical records, US findings, and especially IMLN status (long and short diameter, cortical thickness, blood flow) were reviewed, analyzed, and correlated with pathologic results.

resultsThere were significant differences in long diameter, short diameter, numbers, intercostal space (ICS) distribution, and structure type of IMLN between the two groups (P<0.05), but no statistical difference in the ratio of long to short diameter and blood flow (P>0.05). The best cutoff values of size for differentiating IMLN metastasis from benign LNs were 10.5 mm (long diameter), 4.5 mm (short diameter), and 1.9 mm (cortical thickness), with sensitivities of 62.9%, 71.4%, and 91.4%, respectively and specificities of 90.7%, 77.8%, and 86.7%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of long and short diameter combined with structure type of IMLN were 74.1% and 83.3%, respectively.

conclusionsUS is an important tool to evaluate the status of IMLN in patients with BC. US features of metastatic IMLNs include thickened cortex (≥1.9 mm), absent fatty hilum, multiple (n≥2). The size (long or short diameter) combined with structural types of IMLN had good efficacy for diagnosing IMLN metastasis.

Indexed as

breast cancer (BC)internal mammary lymph node (IMLN)Ultrasound (US)

Identifiers

PMID33224822
PMCPMC7667069
OpenAlexW3093155728

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.