A nurse palpated enlarged lymph nodes. Describe signs and symptoms that help to distinguish cancerous lymph nodes from infected lymph nodes. Solution Cancerous lymph nodes VS infected lymph nodes: If the selling in the lymph node is temporary it is due to infection but if it lasts it and is sustained that biopsy and Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography can tell if the swelling i.e. enlargement is due to infection or cancer. The contrast-enhanced ultrasonography suggests metastatic lesions as defective shadows will be seen enlarged cancerous lymph nodes. In case of inflammation- induced enlargement contrast imaging shows; comparatively uniform staining but the staining is non-uniform in chronic-phase lymph nodes..