title: [Comparison study of radionuclide lymphoscintigraphy and dynamic magnetic resonance lymphangiography for the diagnosis of extremity lymphedema].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the role of radionuclide lymphoscintigraphy and dynamic magnetic resonance lymphangiography (MRL) for the diagnosis of extremity lymphedema.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People' s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China.
authors.forename: Ning-fei
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ping-an
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhi-xin
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Xiu-feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005121:Extremities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008220:Lymphography / Q000379:methods*; D061305:Lymphoscintigraphy / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult