Multispiral computed tomography in diagnosis of lymphedema of lower extremities

The paper analyzes the results of Multislice Computed Tomography in 20 patients with lower extremities lymphedema of I-III clinical stages. The objectiveis to study the CT scans of patients with lymphedema of the lower extremities with certain patterns of pathological changes and their structure depending on the form and stage of disease. Found that MSCT allows for lymphedema, high resolution, to visualize changes in subcutaneous fat and connective tissue formations in the supra-and subfascial space of the limbs. Disease progression was accompanied by increased fibrosis and sclerosis of the skin, subcutaneous fat, fascia and perimuskulyarnogo bed. To determine the primary or secondary nature of the disease is necessary to conduct a comprehensive survey of holding lymphoscintigraphy and CT of regional lymph nodes and pelvis. MSCT data provides important information for differential diagnosis of lymphedema and the classic combination of various forms of chronic lymphatic edema. Changes in the subcutaneous space in the form of "honeycomb” structure, observed in the classical lymphedema, are not typical for flebolymphedema and lipolymphedema and that it was important to establish the cause lymph edema and to determine the tactics of the patient’s treatment. CT as the method can be used to diagnose obstructive lymphedema, demonstrating the presence or absence of changes in the pelvis, which may cause lymphatic obstruction.