Image of tumor metastasis and inflammatory lymph node enlargement by contrast-enhanced ultrasonography

Figure 1 Ultrasound image of lymph ducts. Model of tumor-induced lymph node enlargement at 21 d after VX2 tumor was implemented (model 3). A: Sonazoid™ that was administered subcutaneously in the tumor lesion periphery of the hind paw. The arrowhead is the site where the contrast agent was injected; B: The lymph duct (arrowheads) towards the top part from the injection site that is shown in the form of a line.

Figure 2 Lymph node imaging (dynamics study). The model of inflammation-induced lymph node enlargement at 3 d after Escherichia coli was implanted (model 8). A: The image of the lymph hilum 9 s later, showing flow of the contrast agent from the afferent lymph duct; B: The contrast agent reached the center of the lymph node from the lymph hilum 12 s later; C: The entire lymph node was imaged 15 s.

Figure 3 Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography image and histopathological image of the tumor-induced lymph node enlargement model. This is the tumor-induced lymph node enlargement model at 28 d after VX2 tumor was implanted (Model 1). A: The enlarged popliteal lymph node with a diameter of 18 mm that was seen in the B mode ultrasound image. This lymph node shown hypoechoic mass; B: Image of the popliteal lymph node that was imaged after the contrast agent was administered in the periphery of the primary tumor lesion. The central area is large and defective and so only the periphery of the lymph node was imaged; C: Histopathological image (hematoxylin-eosin stain) of the lymph node that was extracted. A large metastatic tumor lesion was seen in the center.

Figure 4 The contrast-enhanced ultrasonography image and histopathological image of the acute inflammation-induced lymph node enlargement model. The model of inflammation-induced lymph node enlargement at 7 d after Escherichia coli was implanted (model 9). A: The enlarged popliteal lymph node with a diameter of 13 mm that was seen in the B mode ultrasound image. This lymph node showed up as a hypoechoic mass; B: Image of the popliteal lymph node that was imaged after the contrast agent was administered in the periphery of the primary lesion. The entire lymph node was imaged; C: Histopathological image (hematoxylin-eosin stain) of the lymph node that was extracted. Invasion of inflammatory cells, mainly nucleocytes, was seen. These are findings of acute lymphadenitis.