CT of peritoneal lymphomatosis

The CT and clinical findings are presented in seven patients with diffuse peritoneal malignancy caused by non-Hodgkin lymphoma. All seven patients had CT evidence of ascites, omental infiltration, and peritoneal implants mimicking carcinomatosis. Bulky retroperitoneal or mesenteric adenopathy was present in only one patient. Four of the seven patients had documented AIDS. Paracentesis provided a diagnosis of lymphoma in only one of the seven patients. In the other six patients, the final diagnosis was established by surgery (three patients), by autopsy (one patient), by laparoscopy (one patient), and by guided needle aspiration (one patient). Although uncommon, lymphoma should be considered in patients who have diffuse peritoneal malignancy, particularly those who are at risk for AIDS.