Peng et al used ultrasonographic and clinical findings to evaluate a patient with a salivary gland mass. This can help to identify a mass with a high risk of being malignant. The authors are from the Chinese PLA General Hospital in Beijing.
Patient selection: salivary gland mass
Parameters:
(1) sex
(2) age in years
(3) short diameter of the lesion in cm
(4) ratio of short to long diameter of the lesion
(5) abnormal lymph nodes
(6) shape
(7) posterior echo pattern enhanced
(8) tumor margins
(9) internal echo status
(10) internal echogenicity
(11) microcalcifications
(12) internal structure
(13) vascularity grade (Martinoli et al)
|
Parameter |
Finding |
Points |
|
sex of the patient |
male |
0 |
|
|
female |
0.83943 |
|
age of the patient |
|
-0.01824 * (age)) |
|
short axis |
|
-0.12214 * (diameter) |
|
ratio of short to long axis |
|
-0.45577 * (ratio) |
|
abnormal lymph nodes |
no |
0 |
|
|
yes |
-4.40593 |
|
shape |
lobulated |
0.03257 |
|
|
elliptical |
0.70156 |
|
|
round |
15.62602 |
|
|
spiculated, microlobulated |
-2.74821 |
|
|
other |
0 |
|
posterior echo pattern |
enhanced |
1.96845 |
|
|
not enhanced |
0 |
|
tumor margins |
clear |
0 |
|
|
unclear |
-1.31637 |
|
internal echo pattern |
non-uniform |
1.06163 |
|
|
uniform |
0 |
|
internal echogenicity |
isoechoic |
2.33500 |
|
|
hypoechoic |
0 |
|
microcalcifications |
absent |
0 |
|
|
present |
-2.05672 |
|
internal structure |
solid |
0 |
|
|
mainly solid |
-0.16825 |
|
|
mainly cystic |
0.13450 |
|
vascularity |
Grade I |
0 |
|
|
Grade II |
-1.08656 |
|
|
Grade III |
-0.77527 |
|
|
Grade IV |
-1.07660 |
value of X =
= SUM(points for all of the parameters) + 0.69347
probability =
= 1 / (1 + EXP((-1) * X))
NOTE: What the probability means is unclear. The text states that a probability over 0.7841 indicates malignancy. However, when data is entered that indicates malignancy, increasingly negative numbers occur (for example abnormal lymph nodes are scored -4.4. A round tumor is scored 15.626, which overpowers all of the other parameters.
Specialty: Otolaryngology
