[Comparison of lymphangiography and computerized tomography with staging laparotomy in patients with Hodgkin's...

The staging procedure of Hodgkin's disease is vital for planning effective management. In this paper, the diagnostic value of lymphangiography (LAG) and computed tomography (CT), as compared with the findings of staging laparotomy (SL) is determined. Sixty-five patients with Hodgkin's disease have been studied: in 44 patients CT was performed, 13 underwent LAG and in 8 patients both methods (CT and LAG) were applied. In all 65 patients SL was undertaken. The findings showed that the lymphangiography accurately detected the extent of Hodgkin's disease in 31% of the patients and CT in 61%. Thus, the computed tomography is more effective in evaluating the disease than the LAG method, and moreover, it can be repeated. On the other hand, the lymphangiography, although less reliable, presents a lymph node structure. We conclude, on the basis of the obtained results that SL is the most useful method in staging of Hodgkin's disease.