Indocyanine Green Lymphography and Lymphoscintigraphy Severity Stage Showed Strong Correlation in Lower Limb...

To examine the correlation between lymphedema severity on lymphoscintigraphy and indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography in patients with secondary lower extremity lymphedema. The maximal circumference difference (MCD) between the two legs was recorded. Lymphoscintigraphy and ICG lymphography images were classified into type I to V according to dermal backflow (DB) stage and MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) stage based on lymphatic flow preservation and how DB was extended. Correlation between the scales was analyzed. Forty-four patients attended our hospital for evaluation of secondary lower extremity lymphedema. The most common cause of lymphedema was a postoperative complication of a malignant tumor (32 patients; 72.5%). Correlation analysis showed that lymphoscintigraphy and ICG DB (anterior) stage (r = 0.92), lymphoscintigraphy and ICG DB (posterior) stage (r = 0.94), and lymphoscintigraphy and MDACC stage (r = 0.93) exhibited very strong positive correlations. Intrarater agreement between lymphoscintigraphy and ICG DB (posterior) stage was substantial (κ = 0.65), and moderate between lymphoscintigraphy and ICG DB (anterior) stage (κ = 0.59) and lymphoscintigraphy and MDACC stage (κ = 0.52). Lymphedema severity stages and MCDs exhibited moderate positive correlations. Lymphoscintigraphy and ICG lymphography stage were strongly and positively correlated. These studies can work synergistically as complementary studies of lymphedema severity.