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Diagnosis of liver involvement by lymphoma: Results in 96 consecutive peritoneoscopies
Author(s) -
Bagley Charles M.,
Thomas Louis B.,
Johnson Ralph E.,
Chretien Paul B.,
Devita Vincent T.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197304)31:4<840::aid-cncr2820310412>3.0.co;2-w
Subject(s) - medicine , biopsy , lymphoma , liver biopsy , disease , laparotomy , hodgkin lymphoma , radiology , pathology
Percutaneous liver biopsy and multiple needle biopsies at peritoneoscopy were done in 47 patients with untreated Hodgkin's disease and 46 patients with untreated non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma to determine whether hepatic involvement was present. In patients with Hodgkin's disease, grouped homogenously by extent of nodal disease, hepatic involvement was proven by these biopsy methods with the same frequency as has been reported for wedge biopsy at laparotomy. With lymphocytic lymphomas, percutaneous biopsy was positive in 40% of cases, but peritoneoscopy gave frequent false‐negative results in the remaining cases. The presence of hepatomegaly was valuable in predicting positive biopsies with lymphocytic lymphoma but was of no use with Hodgkin's disease or other lymphomas. Liver function tests were not of value. With Hodgkin's disease, the presence of symptoms and the classification in the Lukes‐Butler categories did not help in predicting positive biopsies. The gross appearance of early lymphomatous involvement of the liver is described. Peritoneoscopy is useful in the staging of Hodgkin's disease and in the post‐therapy follow‐up of patients with Hodgkin's disease and non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas. There is minimal morbidity, even with multiple liver biopsies, and peritoneoscopy may be done repeatedly on the same patient, if necessary.