[Value of endoscopic ultrasound examination of the mediastinum in Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas].
OBJECTIVE
The applicability of ultrasound for diagnosing mediastinal diseases is limited by the surrounding thorax containing air and bone, permitting only restricted echo windows. Transoesophageal endoscopic ultrasound circumvents this problem and provides good visualisation of nearly all parts of the mediastinum. We evaluated the value of endoscopic ultrasonography for mediastinal staging of Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients.


METHODS
From August 1994 to July 1995 36 Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients underwent clinical staging and were endosonographically examined for mediastinal involvement. CT in the spiral technique was used as the reference.


RESULTS
In assessing mediastinal involvement, endoscopic ultrasound revealed a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 75%. There were limitations in the right paratracheal region and the area lateral to the aortic arch.


CONCLUSIONS
Endoscopic ultrasound is a highly valuable imaging procedure for diagnosing mediastinal spread of malignant lymphomas and has interesting potentials in assessing the clinical course during therapy.
Zimmer
T
T
Klinik für Innere Medizin/Gastroenterologie, Klinikum Benjamin Franklin, Freien Universität Berlin.
Patan
M
M
Berdel
W E
WE
Dulce
M C
MC
Riecken
E O
EO
D019160:Endosonography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed