Role of Real-Time Elastography in the Evaluation of Cervical Lymph Nodes in Patients with Kikuchi Disease

The purpose of this study was to compare the use of conventional ultrasound (US) and real-time elastography (RTE) in Kikuchi disease (KD, n = 48) and malignant cervical lymphadenopathy (n = 100) and to evaluate the role of RTE in patients suspected of having KD. In univariate analysis, conventional US revealed each benign feature more frequently in KD than in malignant lymphadenopathy (p < 0.05). However, a considerable number of cases (29, 60.4%) of KD were assessed as malignant with US. KD was assessed as benign by RTE more frequently than malignant lymphadenopathy (37 [77.1%] vs. 37 [37.0%], p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, perinodal hyper-echogenicity was predictive of KD (odds ratio: 67.25, confidence interval: 10.95-413.04, p < 0.001). There was a tendency for KD to be assessed as malignant with conventional US, but benign with RTE. RTE can help to avoid unnecessary biopsy in patients suspected of having KD on the basis of conventional US.