Abstract: Lymph node metastasis as the main route of metastasis of cervical cancer and endometrial cancer, and is an important factor affecting the prognosis of cervical cancer and endometrial cancer. The way how to detect and evaluate the lymph node status before and during the therapy has still been in the preliminary exploration. Current methods of detecting lymph node status are ultrasonography, computer tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography/computer tomography (PET-CT) and localization by sentinel lymph node biopsy etc. Different methods create images in different ways and have different sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. With the development of radiological technology and the imaging agents, the detection levels of lymph node status have been developed from simple morphology to function. Color Doppler ultrasonography, diffusion-weighted imaging, PET-CT. etc are more sensitive and specific when compared with traditional methods. Among them, PET-CT and functional MRI imaging have advantages in the detection of sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. Imaging agents are subdivided into three kinds of agents detecting tumor cell metabolism, vessel and lymphatic drainage through development.

Key words: Lymph nodes, Uterine cervical neoplasms, Endometrial neoplasms, Ultrasonography, Magnetic resonance imaging, Positron-emission tomography