Objective:To evaluate the usefulness of ultrasonography in assessing laryngeal cancer.Methods:72 patients with laryngeal carcinoma proven by surgery and pathology were enrolled. The pre-therapeutic ultrasonography and CT images were retrospectively evaluated, including tumour detection, localisation and invasion of intra- and extralaryngeal structures. A comparative assessment was made between the detection rate, correspondence rate of localisation and sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography and CT. The mobility of the larynx was observed on real-time ultrasonography and compared with laryngoscopy.Results:The detection rate of ultrasonography [63 (87.5%)/72] was lower than that of CT [72 (100.0%)/72] (p=0.006). The primary foci were accurately located in 59 (93.7%) of 63 lesions using ultrasonography compared with 70 (97.2%) of 72 lesions using CT (p=0.392). In the evaluation of invasion, the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography were similar to that of CT in most of the intra- and extrala...

Objectives This study investigated the ability of sonography for diagnosis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods Between November 2008 and January 2010, 34 consecutive patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma (34 tumors) were examined by sonography. The visualization capability of sonography was evaluated by grading criteria of “excellent,” “good,” “moderate,” and “poor” in comparison with computed tomography (CT). Localization of the primary tumor foci and intrahypopharyngeal and extrahypopharyngeal invasion were initially assessed by sonography and confirmed with surgical and pathologic findings. Laryngeal movement was observed on real‐time sonography and compared with endoscopic findings. Results On sonography, 29 of the 34 lesions (85.3%) were graded excellent, similar to the shapes and dimensions of the tumors on CT. Localization was correctly undertaken in 26 of the 28 foci resected (92.9%), with excellent agreement between sonography and surgical and pathologic findings (κ = 0.823; P < .001). In evaluating intrahypopharyngeal and extrahypopharyngeal invasion with sonography, the sensitivity and specificity were 90.9% and 82.4%, respectively, for intrahypopharyngeal intersubsite spreading, 50.0% and 96.2% for diagnosis of thyroid cartilage destruction, both 100% for evaluation of cervical esophagus, neck soft tissue, and thyroid gland involvement, and 76.9% and 100% for assessment of hemilarynx fixation. Conclusions Sonography has a similar role in visualization of hypopharyngeal carcinoma as CT and is satisfactory in localization of the primary focus and assessment of tumor extension inside and outside the hypopharynx.

Purpose. To assess the feasibility of next-generation sequencing (NGS) to detect mutations in BRAF, RAS, TERT promoter, and TP53 genes in ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy samples of the papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). Methods. A total of 135 FNA samples out of 135 patients with suspected PTMC were submitted for mutation testing using NGS. NGS was successfully performed in 114 specimens, while the remaining 21 samples were excluded due to insufficient amount/poor quality of DNA and sequencing failure. Of those 114 samples, 72 who were confirmed as having PTMC by postoperative histopathology were enrolled in our study, and the other 42 who had a follow-up with ultrasound were excluded. Mutations of genes including BRAF, NRAS, HRAS, KRAS, TERT promoter, and TP53 were evaluated using NGS. The associations of gene mutations and clinicopathological characteristics of PTMC were analyzed. Results. BRAF mutation was observed in 59 (81.94%) of 72 specimens. This mutation detected in BRAF was p.V600E (c.1799T>A) in exon 15 of all 59 specimens. NRAS mutation was identified in 1 (1.39%) specimen classified as Bethesda III and pathologically confirmed as a follicular variant PTMC. There were no mutations found in TERT promoter or TP53. The tumor with a maximum diameter (Dmax) larger than 5 mm was shown to be significantly correlated with the BRAF mutation in a multivariate analysis (OR 5.52, 95% CI 1.51-26.42, P=0.033). But the BRAF mutation was not found to be significantly associated with the gender or age of patients with PTMC (P>0.05). Conclusions. This study demonstrated that gene mutations in FNA specimens of PTMC could be successfully analyzed with a higher sensitivity using NGS compared to conventional methods for mutation detection. BRAF mutation of p.V600E was statistically associated with PTMC with a Dmax larger than 5 mm.