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Ultraschall Med 2024; 45(06): 586-596
DOI: 10.1055/a-2275-8342
Review

Quantitative ultrasound radiomics analysis to evaluate lymph nodes in patients with cancer: a systematic review

Quantitative Ultraschall-Radiomics-Analyse zur Beurteilung von Lymphknoten bei Krebspatienten: Eine systematische Übersicht
Antonio Guerrisi
1   Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging Unit, Department of Clinical and Dermatological Research, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Roma, Italy (Ringgold ID: RIN159149)
,
Ludovica Miseo
1   Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging Unit, Department of Clinical and Dermatological Research, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Roma, Italy (Ringgold ID: RIN159149)
,
Italia Falcone
2   SAFU, Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics, and Technological Innovation, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Roma, Italy (Ringgold ID: RIN18658)
,
Claudia Messina
3   Library, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Roma, Italy (Ringgold ID: RIN159149)
,
Sara Ungania
4   Medical Physics and Expert Systems Laboratory, Department of Research and Advanced Technologies, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Roma, Italy (Ringgold ID: RIN18658)
,
Fulvia Elia
1   Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging Unit, Department of Clinical and Dermatological Research, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Roma, Italy (Ringgold ID: RIN159149)
,
Flora Desiderio
1   Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging Unit, Department of Clinical and Dermatological Research, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Roma, Italy (Ringgold ID: RIN159149)
,
Fabio Valenti
5   UOC Oncological Translational Research, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Roma, Italy (Ringgold ID: RIN18658)
,
Vito Cantisani
6   Department of Radiology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Roma, Italy
,
Antonella Soriani
4   Medical Physics and Expert Systems Laboratory, Department of Research and Advanced Technologies, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Roma, Italy (Ringgold ID: RIN18658)
,
Mauro Caterino
1   Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging Unit, Department of Clinical and Dermatological Research, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Roma, Italy (Ringgold ID: RIN159149)
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Abstract

This systematic review aims to evaluate the role of ultrasound (US) radiomics in assessing lymphadenopathy in patients with cancer and the ability of radiomics to predict metastatic lymph node involvement. A systematic literature search was performed in the PubMed (MEDLINE), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and EMBASE (Ovid) databases up to June 13, 2023. 42 articles were included in which the lymph node mass was assessed with a US exam, and the analysis was performed using radiomics methods. From the survey of the selected articles, experimental evidence suggests that radiomics features extracted from US images can be a useful tool for predicting and characterizing lymphadenopathy in patients with breast, head and neck, and cervical cancer. This noninvasive and effective method allows the extraction of important information beyond mere morphological characteristics, extracting features that may be related to lymph node involvement. Future studies are needed to investigate the role of US-radiomics in other types of cancers, such as melanoma.

Zusammenfassung

Ziel dieser systematischen Übersicht ist es, die Rolle von Ultraschall-Radiomics (US-Radiomics) in der Beurteilung der Lymphadenopathie bei Krebspatienten zu bewerten, sowie die Fähigkeit von Radiomics, einen metastasierenden Lymphknotenbefall vorherzusagen. Es wurde eine systematische Literatursuche in den Datenbanken PubMed (MEDLINE), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) und EMBASE (Ovid) bis zum 13. Juni 2023 durchgeführt. Es wurden 42 Artikel eingeschlossen, in denen die Lymphknoten-Raumforderung mittels US-Untersuchung beurteilt wurde, und die Analyse wurde mithilfe von Radiomics-Methoden durchgeführt. Aus der Untersuchung der ausgewählten Artikel geht hervor, dass die aus US-Bildern extrahierten Radiomics-Merkmale ein nützliches Instrument zur Vorhersage und Charakterisierung der Lymphadenopathie bei Patienten mit Brust-, Kopf- und Hals- sowie Gebärmutterhalskrebs sein können. Diese nicht invasive und effektive Methode ermöglicht die Gewinnung wichtiger Informationen über bloße morphologische Merkmale hinaus – und extrahiert Merkmale, die mit dem Lymphknotenbefall in Zusammenhang stehen können. Zukünftige Studien sind erforderlich, um die Rolle der US-Radiomics bei anderen Krebsarten wie Melanomen zu untersuchen.

Keywords

ultrasound - cancer - quantitative analysis - lymph nodes - precision medicine

Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 27 October 2023

Accepted after revision: 09 February 2024

Article published online:
25 April 2024

© 2024. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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