Infiltration of cervical lymph nodes by B- and T-Cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin's lymphoma: Preliminary ultrasonic findings

Ultrasonography has been used in the evaluation of enlarged lymph nodes in patients with malignant lymphoma, which comprises a variety of histopatholo gical subtypes, We assessed ultrasonic findings of infiltration in cervical lymph nodes of 47 patients with previously untreated malignant lymphoma an d correlated them with histopathological subtypes, Common findings among va rious histopathological subtypes were hypoechoic masses, spot and/or line e choes, involvement of multiple nodes, and posterior enhancement. In additio n, each histopathological subtype showed characteristic findings: Hodgkin's disease had a contour with a lobular pattern (9/10 cases), septum-like ech o (9/10 cases), and tubular structure (9/10 cases) in the internal echo, re flecting histopathologically fibrous connective tissue surrounding lymph no des and small vessels. In a-cell lymphoma, there was characteristically a t endency for lymph node fusion (19/28 cases) and spot and/or line echoes (17 /28 cases), reflecting histopathological replacement and destruction of the structure of lymph node and capsule by proliferation of lymphocytes, These findings were strengthened in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. T-cell lympho ma was distinguished from other types of lymphoma by the presence of a hilu m-like echo (6/9 cases), reflecting histopathologically prominent vasculari zation in lymph nodes accompanied by a dilated hilum area. In summary, this preliminary study suggests that ultrasonic findings of infiltration of cer vical lymph nodes in major subtypes of malignant lymphoma could reflect cha racteristic histopathological structures, therefore providing information h elpful for differentiating them. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss. Inc.