Abdominal and pelvic computed tomography in leukemic patients

Area of Science:

• Radiology and Imaging
• Hematology
• Oncology

Background:

• Leukemia encompasses a group of hematologic malignancies with diverse clinical presentations.
• Accurate diagnosis and staging are crucial for effective leukemia management.
• Computed tomography (CT) is a key imaging modality in evaluating abdominal and pelvic abnormalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the diagnostic and management utility of abdominal and pelvic CT in patients with various leukemia types.
• To identify characteristic radiographic features of different leukemias on CT scans.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of abdominal and pelvic CT scans from 52 leukemia patients.
• Analysis of radiographic findings including lymphadenopathy, organomegaly, effusions, and visceral involvement.
• Categorization of patients by leukemia subtype: chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), and hairy cell leukemia (HCL).

Main Results:

• The highest incidence of lymphadenopathy was observed in CLL, followed by HCL and ALL.
• Other common CT findings included splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, ascites, and pleural effusion.
• Less frequent findings included hepatic/renal microabscesses and visceral involvement (intestine, bladder, bone).

Conclusions:

• Abdominal and pelvic CT plays a significant role in the diagnosis and management of leukemia patients.
• CT can reveal characteristic patterns of lymphadenopathy and extranodal involvement specific to leukemia subtypes.
• Imaging findings guide further diagnostic workup and treatment strategies for leukemia.