Analysis of Lymphatic Drainage in Various Forms of Leg Edema Using Two Compartment Lymphoscintigraphy
43 Lymphology 31 (1998) 43-55 ANALYSIS OF LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE IN VARIOUS FORMS OF LEG EDEMA USING TWO COMPARTMENT LYMPHOSCINTIGRAPHY P. Brautigam, E. FOldi, I. Schaiper, T. Krause, W. Vanscheidt, E. Moser Abteilung Nuklearmedizin, Radiol. University Klinik Freiburg (PB,TK,EM), FOldiklinik, Fachklinik ftir lymphologische Erkrankungen, Hinterzarten (EF), Zentrum ftir Nuklearmedizin, Paracelsus- Klinik Osnabrtick (IS), and Universitats-Hautklinik, Freiburg (WV), Germany ABSTRACT was reduced. Patients with lipedema (obesity) scintigraphically showed no alteration in The anatomical and functional status lymphatic transport. of the epifascial and subfascial lymphatic This study demonstrates that lymphatic compartments was analyzed using two drainage is notably affected (except in obesity compartment lymphoscintigraphy in five termed lipedema) in various edemas of the leg. groups of patients (total 55) with various Lymphatic drainage varied depending on the forms of edema of the lower extremities. specific compartment and the pathophysiologic Digital whole body scintigraphy enabled mechanism accounting for the edema. Two semiquantitative estimation of radio tracer compartment lymphoscintigraphy is a valuable transport with comparison of lymphatic diagnostic tool for accurate assessment of leg drainage between those individuals without edema of known and unknown origin. (normal) and those with leg edema by calculating the uptake of the radiopharma- The lymphatic system is deranged in ceutical transported to regional lymph nodes. various forms of leg edema of both lymphatic A visual assessment of the lymphatic drainage and non-lymphatic origin including venous- pathways of the legs was also performed. lymphedema, cyclic idiopathic edema, and In patients with cyclic idiopathic edema, lipedema (obesity) (1,2). As no discrete an accelerated rate of lymphatic transport differences exist on clinical grounds among was detected (high lymph volume overload or the various edema syndromes, differential dynamic insufficiency).
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