Diagnostic value of ultrasound parameters combined with clinical features in children with alveolar and non- alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma

AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in clinical and ultrasound findings between alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) and non-ARMS in order to improve the accuracy of preoperative diagnosis of ARMS in children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 33 children with pathologically confirmed RMS (ARMS and non-ARMS groups) was realized. Clinical features and ultrasound parameters were compared between ARMS and non-ARMS using Fisher 's exact test analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC) were used to represent diagnostic performance. RESULTS: Among the clinical features, there were statistically significant differences between ARMS and non-ARMS groups in site (p=0.020), TNM stage (p=0.007), IRS stage (p=0.009), risk grade (p=0.011), and distant metastasis (p=0.020). There were statistical differences in necrosis (p= p0.039) and central hyperechoic fiber bundles (p