Selection of an imaging modality for staging abdominal involvement in the malignant lymphomas

Abstract

Since the introduction and enthusiastic acceptance of computed tomography (CT), a growing reluctance has emerged towards recommendations for the continued routine utilization of lymphography for the staging of Hodgkin’s disease and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. A number of arguments have been proffered, arguments ranging from adverse time considerations, to technical expertise, to patient preference, and extending ultimately to the all important differences in the sites imaged and the accuracies obtained. In attempting to explain our own approach towards this heterogeneous group of patients, we are constrained to acknowledge that what we propose represents personal opinion rather than irrefutable doctrine, i.e., it is an approach which seems to make sense to us, and which appears to work well in our hands. Because of acknowledged complexities surrounding the selection of an imaging modality, our approach may not be totally applicable to all departments of radiology and to all medical centers.