Three-dimensional imaging of lymphatic system in lymphedema legs using interstitial computed tomography-lymphography

As a new trial, we used interstitial computed tomography-lymphography (CT-LG) in 10 patients with lower extremity lymphedema (n=20 limbs) at stage 0, 1, 2, or 3 under the International Society of Lymphology (ISL) classification. In all cases, CT-LG, lymphoscintigraphy, and indocyanine green fluorescence-lymphography (ICG-LG) were performed. In the examination of the ascending level of depicted lymphatic vessels, we measured the diameters of lymphatic vessels detected with CT-LG and conducted an image analysis of dermal backflow of lymph (DB). CT-LG had better resolution than lymphoscintigraphy and enabled the clear visualization of lymphatic vessels with a minimum lumen size of 0.7 mm. CT-LG also showed the three-dimensional architecture of the DB, which originated from deep lymphatic collectors via branched small lymphatic vessels. Our findings are quite valuable not only for detailed examinations of lymphedematous sites and for the lymphedema surgery, but also for investigations of the pathogenesis of lymphedema which has not yet been established. We observed that lymphoscintigraphy could show the lymphatic vessels up to the thigh level in all cases, whereas CT-LG enabled the vessels' visualization up to the leg level at maximum. In conclusion, CT-LG provided adequate and detailed three-dimensional imaging of the lymphatic system in lymphedema patients.