Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33834317›Full record

ArticleEuropean radiology experimental2021

Breast cancer: comparison of quantitative dual-layer spectral CT and axillary ultrasonography for preoperative diagnosis of metastatic axillary lymph nodes.

Thomas Winther Buus, Mads Sandahl, Kennet Sønderstgaard Thorup, Finn Rasmussen, Søren Redsted, Peer Christiansen, Anders Bonde Jensen, Erik Morre Pedersen

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European radiology experimental, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 31% 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

9 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Quantitative parameters of dual-layer spectral CT for differentiating metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes in colorectal cancer.Cancer imaging : the official publication of the International Cancer Imaging Society · 2026
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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

8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Thomas Winther BuusDepartment of Radiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark. thomas.winther.buus@auh.rm.dk.ORCID 0000-0003-4801-6389
Mads SandahlDepartment of Radiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.
Kennet Sønderstgaard ThorupDepartment of Radiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.
Finn RasmussenDepartment of Radiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.
Søren RedstedDepartment of Radiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.
Peer ChristiansenDepartment of Plastic and Breast Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 35, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.
Anders Bonde JensenDepartment of Oncology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.
Erik Morre PedersenDepartment of Radiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.
Aarhus University Hospital · DK

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOur aim was to compare the diagnostic performance of quantitative dual-layer spectral computed tomography (DLSCT) and axillary ultrasound (US) for diagnosing lymph node metastases in breast cancer patients.

methodsDLSCT and axillary US were prospectively performed in 70 needle biopsy-verified breast cancer patients. Histopathology and imaging data were available for evaluation in 36 axillae from 34 patients. In each patient, ipsilateral, contralateral, and inguinal lymph nodes (LNs) were semiautomatically segmented, and iodine density, spectral slope, Z effective, virtual non-contrast (VNC), conventional CT HU values, and Δ contrast enhancement (ΔCE, conventional CT HU minus VNC) were measured. Using histopathology as reference, the diagnostic performance of DLSCT and axillary US was compared.

resultsOf 36 axillae, 23 had metastatic lymph nodes. Compared with non-metastatic LNs, metastatic LNs had significantly different iodine density (p = 0.021), spectral slope (p < 0.001), Z effective (p < 0.001), conventional CT HU values (p < 0.01), and ΔCE (p < 0.01). All DLSCT parameters were significantly different between arterial phase and portal-venous phase (p < 0.001) except for VNC (p = 0.092). ΔCE had the highest diagnostic performance (sensitivity 0.79, specificity 0.92, positive predictive value 0.95, negative predictive value 0.69) with a significantly increased sensitivity compared with conventional CT HU (p = 0.027). There were no significant differences between ΔCE and axillary US for sensitivity (p = 1.000) or specificity (p = 0.320).

conclusionsDLSCT is a promising quantitative technique for evaluating LN metastases and could potentially reduce the need for sentinel LN biopsy.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsFemaleHumansLymph NodesSensitivity and SpecificityTomography, X-Ray ComputedUltrasonographyAxillaBreast neoplasmscomputed)Lymphatic metastasisTomography (x-rayUltrasonography

Identifiers

PMID33834317
PMCPMC8032829
OpenAlexW3142483479

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Registered trials

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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.