[Lymphatic vessel imaging-Indications and clinical applications].

Abstract

Background: The armamentarium of lymphatic imaging techniques and treatment concepts available at specialized centers has significantly increased in recent years. The rarity and complexity of lymphatic vascular diseases presents the particular challenge of implementing these methods in a meaningful and targeted manner in patient care; however, there are currently no generally accepted diagnostic guidelines.

Objective: Which lymphatic imaging technique is useful in which clinical situations?

Material and methods: This article provides an overview of clinical and technical considerations that are relevant for a targeted evaluation of indications for lymphatic imaging in a multidisciplinary diagnostic and therapeutic approach.

Results: The lymphatic vascular system can be affected by a wide range of primary and secondary pathologies, which often lead to relatively uniform clinical presentations (especially localized swellings, chylolymphatic effusions). In general, dedicated imaging should be discussed if a lymphatic vascular disease is suspected based on such a typical presentation. The choice of imaging strategy is then individually determined by the urgency of treatment, suspected localization and etiology of the pathology, comorbidities, specific properties of the imaging techniques, the treatment strategy pursued and local availability. When interpreting imaging and planning treatment, in addition to the large spectrum of different pathologies, the individual variability of the lymphatic system must also be taken into account.

Conclusion: An individual pretherapeutic assessment of lymphatic flow should nowadays be mandatory in order to be able to optimize the therapeutic approach for each patient with a suspected lymphatic vascular disease. Interdisciplinary patient care is of decisive importance.