The utility of microbubble perfusion contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging for detection of sentinel node metastasis in endometrial cancer

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K11264
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Obstetrics and gynecology
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: NIIKURA Hitoshi 東北大学, 医学系研究科, 非常勤講師 (80261634)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 森 菜緒子 東北大学, 大学病院, 助教 (90535064) ; 岡本 聡 東北大学, 大学病院, 臨床検査技師 (40420020)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 子宮体癌 / センチネルリンパ節 / マイクロバブル造影 / 超音波 / パワードップラー / 微小転移

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research was performed to evaluate whether quantitative analysis of perfusion contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CE-US) could predict early lymph node metastasis in clinically node-negative endometrial cancer. Sentinel lymph nodes could be detected at pelvic cavity in 28 endometrial cancer patients and 11 cervical cancer patients. They were selected for perfusion CE-US imaging. Forty lymph nodes were histologically diagnosed as negative for metastasis and 17 were positive. There was a significant difference in PI ratio and the PI difference between the LN-negative and LN-positive metastasis groups. Parameters from the quantitative analysis of perfusion CE-US imaging showed significant differences between the LN-negative and -positive metastasis groups in endometrial cancer and cervical cancer. Quantitative analysis of perfusion contrast-enhanced ultrasound may be effective for detection of sentinel node metastasis inpatients with gynecological cancer.

Free Research Field

婦人科腫瘍学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

子宮体癌をはじめとする婦人科がんにおいてマイクロバブル造影超音波画像定量解析によるセンチネルリンパ節転移診断が可能になることで、広範囲のリンパ節郭清によるリンパ浮腫の発現をはじめとする患者のQOLの低下は勿論のことこれまで少数のセンチネルリンパ節を生検することにより発生していた副障害に至るまで予防することが可能になる。さらには手術中の迅速病理診断にかかわる病理医をはじめとするスタッフの負担軽減がはかられ、医療にかかわる人的資源の有効活用も可能になる。