Analysis of Imaging Features of Tuberculosis of Lymph Nodes

Objective:To explore the application value of the two methods by analyzing the CT and MRI features of lymph node tuberculosis and comparing with pathology. Methods:From January 2010 to December 2014, CT or MRI imaging data of 34 patients with lymph node tuberculosis confirmed by operation, puncture pathology or clinical were analyzed retrospectively, including growth pattern(fusion/non-fusion), edge(smooth not smooth), realm(clear/unclear), density and signal, enhancing mode(uniform/non-uniform/circular regular/annular irregular). Results:A total of 223 lymph nodes were involved in 34 patients, including 67.7% of cervical lymph nodes, 27.7% of mediastinal lymph nodes, 1.8% of hilar lymph nodes, 0.5% of intraperitoneal lymph nodes, and 1.8% of retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Of all the involved lymph nodes, 8.5% showed fusion growth, 83.9% had regular morphology, 79.4% had smooth margin. 171 lesions were found on CT, with more equal density(53.8%), followed by low density(43.3%), and 98.5% of 66 lesions on MRI showed equal T1 long T2 signal. In all the lymph nodes observed by CT and MRI, in addition to 57% of the lesions with uniform density or signal, only12.6% accompanied by calcification, only 26.9% accompanied by partial necrosis, and 3.6% accompanied by calcification and necrosis at the same time; in 204 lymph nodes under enhanced scanning, 1% of the calcification was significant, no obvious enhancement was found, 38.7% of the lymph nodes were uniformly enhanced, and the low-density areas without enhancement were found in the patients with damage, 11.3% showed ring-shaped pattern 8.3% of the cases with ring irregular enhancement were in mediastinum(82.4%), and 5.9% of the cases showed septal enhancement in lymph nodes. Conclusion:CT and MRI have important diagnostic value for lymph node tuberculosis. Both of them can clearly show the location, shape and edge of the disease. MRI was more specific than CT in showing the edge and periphery of the lesion, especially after enhancement, and it was more sensitive to the involvement of capsule and adjacent tissues.