Starry sky sign: A prevalent sonographic finding in mediastinal tuberculous lymph nodes

Alici I. O., YILMAZ DEMİRCİ N., Yilmaz A., KARAKAYA KARABULUT J., Erdogan Y.

ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASOUND, vol.4, no.3, pp.225-228, 2015 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 4 Issue: 3
  • Publication Date: 2015
  • Doi Number: 10.4103/2303-9027.163004
  • Journal Name: ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASOUND
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.225-228
  • Keywords: Endobronchial ultrasound, mediastinum, tuberculosis, ABDOMINAL TUBERCULOSIS, ULTRASOUND, LYMPHADENOPATHY, FEATURES
  • Gazi University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Background and Objectives: We report a prevalent finding in tuberculous lymphadenitis (TL): Starry sky sign, hyperechoic foci without acoustic shadows over a hypoechoic background. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively searched the database for a possible relationship of starry sky sign with a specific diagnosis and also the prevalence and accuracy of the finding. Results: Starry sky sign was found in 16 of 31 tuberculous lymph nodes, while none of other lymph nodes (1,015 lymph nodes) exhibited this finding; giving a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy of 51.6%, 100%, 100%, 98.5%, and 98.5%, respectively. Conclusion: Bacteriologic and histologic findings are gold standard in the diagnosis of tuberculosis, but this finding may guide the bronchoscopist in choosing the more pathologic node within a station and increase the diagnostic yield as it may relate to actively dividing mycobacteria.