Multimodality imaging of cardiothoracic lymphoma

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiology
• Hematology

Background:

• Lymphoma is a frequent hematologic malignancy, often involving the thorax.
• The 2008 WHO classification categorizes lymphomas by cell type and molecular characteristics.
• Thoracic structures commonly affected include lungs, mediastinum, pleura, and chest wall.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the classification and imaging features of thoracic lymphomas.
• To discuss the role of various imaging modalities in diagnosis and staging.
• To highlight the complementary nature of CT, MRI, and PET/CT in evaluating thoracic lymphoma.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on thoracic lymphoma classification and imaging.
• Discussion of diagnostic findings across different imaging modalities.
• Emphasis on computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT).

Main Results:

• Pulmonary lymphomas are categorized into four main types.
• Specific imaging features aid in narrowing the differential diagnosis of thoracic lymphoma.
• CT is standard for evaluating intrathoracic and extrathoracic spread.
• MRI and PET/CT offer complementary information for vascular, cardiac, chest wall, and overall staging.

Conclusions:

• Thoracic involvement is common in lymphoma patients.
• A combination of imaging techniques provides comprehensive evaluation.
• PET/CT enhances staging accuracy and treatment response assessment over CT alone.