New imaging techniques in staging lymphomas

Abstract

A variety of imaging modalities are used to evaluate patients with lymphoma, mainly Hodgkin's disease. During the past few years, the improvement of diagnostic techniques has had a great impact on both staging and patient treatment. This review of the current status of imaging presents the possibilities of available diagnostic tools in the assessment of lymphomatous involvement of different organs and apparatus, emphasizing those aspects that might influence patient management and treatment. For central nervous system lymphomas, pre-and postcontrast computed tomography and magnetic resonance have completely replaced other radiologic methods. Similarly, because it seems clear that computed tomography will replace lymphography by the end of this decade, just as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are expected to entirely replace staging laparotomy, the possibilities of these diagnostic tools and their impact on diagnosis and follow-up are also discussed.