Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40549081›Full record

ArticleAnnals of surgical oncology2025

Lymphatic Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound as a Noninvasive Predictor of Sentinel Lymph Node Metastasis in Breast Cancer: A Prospective Diagnostic Study.

Jundong Yao, Husha Li, Hailong Wang, Binbin Liu, Shuai Cui, Qifan Liu, Chang Chang, Miao Deng, Shengjiang Chen

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of surgical oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

9 authors.

Jundong YaoDepartment of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China. yjd2313@outlook.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-3740-0018
Husha LiDepartment of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Hailong WangDepartment of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Binbin LiuDepartment of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Shuai CuiDepartment of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Qifan LiuDepartment of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Chang ChangDepartment of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Miao DengDepartment of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Shengjiang ChenDepartment of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) using radioisotopes/blue dye remains limited by radiation exposure and logistical constraints. This study prospectively evaluates lymphatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (L-CEUS) for SLN mapping and metastasis detection in early-stage breast cancer.

methodsA total of 251 consecutive patients underwent L-CEUS-guided SLN biopsy. Enhancement patterns (Types I-V) and filling defects were correlated with histopathology. Diagnostic performance was compared to conventional ultrasound parameters and surgical SLNB (n = 102).

resultsL-CEUS successfully localized SLNs in 98.4% (247/251) of cases. Using Types III-V enhancement as metastatic criteria, L-CEUS demonstrated 99.0% sensitivity and 88.1% specificity (AUC 0.935). Incorporating filling defects improved specificity to 95.4% (AUC 0.967). Cortical thickness (>3.0 mm) outperformed nodal short-axis in metastasis prediction (AUC 0.874 vs. 0.702, p < 0.001). Compared with blue dye, L-CEUS identified fewer SLNs/patient (3.11 ± 0.81 vs. 3.59 ± 1.2, p = 0.001) with shorter procedural time (4.09 ± 0.25 vs. 12.12 ± 2.75 min, p < 0.001). Eight false-negatives involved micro-metastases (n = 3) and skip lesions (n = 5).

conclusionsL-CEUS provides high diagnostic accuracy for SLN evaluation while eliminating radiation exposure. Its real-time imaging capability and rapid procedural time support integration into standard axillary staging protocols, particularly where radioisotopes are unavailable. Prospective validation of long-term outcomes is warranted.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsCarcinoma, Ductal, BreastCarcinoma, LobularContrast MediaSentinel Lymph NodeUltrasonography, MammaryAdultAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansLymphatic MetastasisMiddle AgedNeoplasm StagingPrognosisContrast MediaAxillary stagingBreast cancerContrast-enhanced ultrasoundRadiation-freeSentinel lymph node biopsy

Identifiers

PMID40549081
PMCPMC12534311

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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.