J Korean Soc Med Ultrasound.  2000 Dec;19(4):305-309.

Mesenteric Lymph Nodes Identified on US: Clinical Significance in Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Children

• Kim JE
• Lee SW

Abstract

PURPOSE
To compare US findings of the mesenteric lymph nodes in symptomatic(abdominal pain) and asympto-matic children and to assess the diagnostic significance of the mesenteric lymph nodes detected on US.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fifty children with acute abdominal pain and 50 asymptomatic children were evaluated for the presence of enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes. The enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes were evaluated for size, number, location and internal echotexture on sonography. And then the results are statistically analized by chi-square method.
RESULTS
The short diameter of the lymph nodes that are less than 4 mm in symptomatic group is analyzed 17(34%) and 20(40%) in asymptomatic group and over than 4mm in short diameter is 33(66%) and 30(60%). The long diameter that is less than 1 cm is 19(38%) and 21(42%). And over than 1cm in long diameter is 31(62%), 29(58%). The number of the lymph nodes that is less than 5 is 13(26%), 13(26%) and that is between 5 and 10 is 25(50%), 33(66%) that is over than 10 is 12(24%), 4(8%). The location that is in periumbilical is 34(68%), 26(52%) and in RUQ is 0, 5(10%) and in RLQ is 15(30%), 16(32%) and LLQ are 1(2%), 3(6%). And echotexture that is hypoechoic are 25(50%), 31(62%) and mixed echotexture are 25(50%), 19(38%). As the re-sults of chi-square test, p-value of the all of them are p>0.05 (no statistical significance).
CONCLUSION
Enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes in children with acute abdominal pain or do not represent a non-specific finding. Sonography is very useful in detecting the lymph nodes but there is no diagnostic significance in symptomatic or asymptomatic children. So clinical correlation is essentially needed to confirm the final diag-nosis.

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Child*
Humans
Lymph Nodes*