LYMPHOGRAPHY

Lymphography is a medical imaging

technique in which a radiocontrast agent
is injected, and then an X-ray picture is
taken to visualize structures of the
lymphatic system, including lymph
nodes, lymph ducts, lymphatic tissues,
lymph capillaries and lymph vessels.
Lymphography is the use of X-ray to
visualize the body's lymphatic
system. (This is also referred to as
lymphangiography, or a
lymphangiogram.) In our bodies,
there are very small vessels that
carry fluid called lymph, which may
look clear or yellow.
 Procedure:
• The procedure will be performed under
fluoroscopy. An interventional radiologist will inject
blue indicator dye between your toes, causing thin
bluish lines to appear on the top of each foot.
These are your lymphatic vessels. Under local
anaesthesia, the interventional radiologist will
make a cut into one of the larger blue lines of each
foot and insert a needle or catheter (a thin narrow
tube) into a vessel. Contrast dye will then be
injected into the vessel, making the vessels more
visible under imaging.
• The interventional radiologist will use
a fluoroscope, which projects the
images on a TV monitor, to observe
the dye as it spreads through your
lymphatic system, up your legs, groin
and along your abdominal cavity. The
doctor will take X-rays in order to
record any abnormalities, and will take
further X-rays the following day.
Why perform it?
Lymphangiography can be used to diagnose the
presence of a number of types of cancer, as
well as whether cancer has spread. The
procedure can also be used to help guide
treatment, as this often depends on
understanding the extent of the disease and on
directing radiation to precise locations. In
addition, lymphangiography can be used to
assess how effectively chemotherapy and
radiation therapy are treating metastatic
cancer.
What are the risks?
Complications related to the technique itself
are generally minor, and include infection or
bleeding caused when the needle or tube is
inserted through the skin. Patients may also
have allergic reactions to the different agents
used during the procedure, but these are
usually not serious. Also, although the
radiation exposure is low, it is higher than that
from a standard X-ray.
 What is it purpose?
Lymphography aims to examine
the retroperitoneal, common iliac,
external iliac, and inguinal lymph
nodes; mesenteric nodes are not
viewed but are rarely involved in
Hodgkin disease.
 Contrast Media used in
Lymphography
Iodized oils are usually used as contrast
media for lymphography and can cause
iodism. Reactions can also occur to the
dye “patent blue violet”, which is injected
subcutaneously before lymphography to
enable the lymphatics to be visualized; it
colors the skin and urine blue.
 MR lymphangiography
generally takes 1-2 hours
and the embolization
procedure can take an
additional 1-3 hours.