ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the role of radionuclide lymphoscintigraphy and dynamic magnetic resonance lymphangiography (MRL) for the diagnosis of extremity lymphedema.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixteen patients with primary extremity lymphedema and two with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome combined with lymphedema were examined by lymphoscintigraphy using the tracer 99Tc-labelled dextran, and also by MRL using gadobenate dimeglumine as contrast agent. The results of morphological abnormalities and functional state of the lymphatic system at affected limbs from the two imaging methods were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Lymphatic vessels were imaged in 14 of 18 limbs with lymphedema using MRL, compared with one of 18 using lymphoscintigraphy. MRL detected the inguinal nodes in 16 of 17 patients, whereas lymphoscintigraphy revealed inguinal nodes in only nine cases. MRL revealed more precise information about structural and functional abnormalities of lymph vessels and nodes than lymphoscintigraphy by real-time measurement of lymph flow in vessels and nodes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Dynamic MRL is more sensitive and accurate than lymphoscintigraphy in the detection of anatomical and functional abnormalities in the lymphatic system in patients with extremity lymphedema.</p>
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Extremities , Lymphedema , Diagnostic Imaging , Lymphography , Methods , Lymphoscintigraphy , Methods , Magnetic Resonance ImagingABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect of manual lymph drainage on chronic extremity lymphedema.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty patients with chronic lymphedema of extremity were treated with manual lymph drainage (MLD) complex decongestion therapy. Among them, 29 had primary lymphedema, 21 had secondary lymphedema. 42 had lymphedema of lower extremity and 8 had lymphedema of upper limb. The result of treatment was evaluated with measurement of circumference of extremities and edema fluid in tissue with Multiple-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 1-2 treatment courses, all 50 patients showed significant decrease of circumference of lymphomatous limbs (P < 0.05) and remarkable reduction of accumulated edema fluid in tissue (P < 0. 05). There was highly correlation between the decrease of limb circumference and edema fluid in tissue (r(s) = 0.774, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>MLD complex decongestion therapy is effective for the treatment of chronic lymphedema of extremity.</p>