Predictive Value of Delphian Lymph Node Metastasis in the Thyroid Cancer

Objective/Hypothesis To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of Delphian lymph node (DLN) metastasis for the prediction of central lymph node (CLN) metastasis and lateral lymph node (LLN) metastasis. Methods Two authors independently reviewed the six databases (Cochrane database, Embase, Google Scholar, PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science). Four parameters were extracted from each study: true positive, true negative, false positive, and false negative. The quality of the methodology was evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies ver. 2 tool. Results The diagnostic odds ratio of DLN in CLN metastasis was 8.859 (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.419; 16.578). The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.748. The diagnostic odds ratio of DLN in LLN metastasis was 7.61 (95% CI, 4.48; 12.94). The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.837. DLN metastasis was moderately predictive of CLN metastasis (sensitivity = 32%, specificity = 95%), LLN metastasis (sensitivity = 52%, specificity = 89%), and contralateral CLN metastasis (sensitivity = 46%, specificity = 85%). DLN metastasis had statistically significant correlation with specific clinicopathological characteristics, including younger age (< 45 years old), bilaterality, capsule invasion, extrathyroidal extension, lymphovascular invasion, male sex, multifocality, and tumor size (> 1 cm). Conclusions The higher specificities of DLN pathology may help predict central and lateral compartment involvement in patients with thyroid cancer. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope , 131:1990–1996, 2021