[Potentials for the ultrasonic diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal cancer metastases to the cervical lymph nodes].

The potentialities of ultrasonic tomography in diagnosis of metastases into cervical lymph nodes were assessed in 15 patients with laryngopharyngeal cancer before surgery. The data were compared with those obtained in the course of morphologic examination of resected lymph nodes. Ultrasonic tomography provided reliable information on the extent and site of lymph node involvement in 71.4% of node--positive cases of laryngopharyngeal cancer. Correct ultrasonographic diagnosis of lymph node involvement was made in only 42% of cases of impalpable node disease.