Lymph nodes

Project – Non-invasive detection of lymph node metastasis.

Currently the best way to find cancerous lymph nodes related to breast cancer is to surgically remove them and look for metastases. Armpit surgery is necessary because there are no radiology tests reliable enough to replace the operation. The aim of this research is to develop a new ultrasound test to replace armpit surgery.

The figures below show a lymph node following an intravenous injection of ultrasound contrast agent. The videos highlight the contrast circulation in the blood system and their corresponding maximum intensity projection (accumulation) after few seconds of acquisition. Localisation and tracking of the contrast is provided and then investigated to identified benign and malignant lymph nodes.

Intravenous flow visualization of ultrasound contrast agent in an armpit lymph node and its corresponding microvasculature.