Abdominal lymphadenopathy in benign diseases: CT detection

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• Abdominal lymphadenopathy is a common finding on computed tomographic (CT) examinations.
• Distinguishing benign from malignant causes of lymphadenopathy is crucial for patient management.
• Previous studies suggested certain CT features could differentiate benign from malignant lymphadenopathy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability of CT features in differentiating benign from malignant abdominal lymphadenopathy.
• To determine the frequency of benign causes of abdominal lymphadenopathy on CT.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 2,100 consecutive CT examinations.
• Identification of 160 cases with abdominal lymphadenopathy.
• Analysis of CT features including size, location, contour, density, relationship to the aorta, and mass effect.

Main Results:

• 160 cases of abdominal lymphadenopathy were identified.
• Nine cases (6%) were secondary to benign diseases.
• CT features such as size, location, contour, density, relationship to the aorta, and mass effect were not helpful in distinguishing benign from malignant lymphadenopathy.
• Ancillary CT findings, conventional radiographs, and clinical context may suggest specific benign entities.

Conclusions:

• Benign causes of abdominal lymphadenopathy are infrequent (6%) but should be considered in the differential diagnosis.
• Conventional CT features are unreliable for differentiating benign from malignant abdominal lymphadenopathy.
• Clinical information and ancillary findings are important in suggesting benign etiologies.