Ultrasonographic patterns of splenic and hepatic lymphoma

ABSTRACT

Twenty-five cases of lymphoma were studied, only 20 cases had splenic and/or hepatic infiltration as detected by the examination of splenic aspiration and liver biopsy, of which two cases had Hodgkin's disease and 18 had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The main ultrasonographic pattern of the spleen was the focal lesions observed in 14 cases, either hypoechoic in 11 or target lesions in three cases and the other pattern, which is the diffuse low echoes, was observed in six cases which could suggest lymphomatous infiltration of the spleen. The ultrasonographic pattern of the liver showed focal lesions in only three cases and diffuse low echoes in the remaining 17 cases. These patterns are nonspecific and may be difficult to distinguish from other forms of hepatic diseases or malignant infiltration