Why is lymphangiography important in the diagnosis of cancer?
Lymphangiography is important to cancer diagnosis because one of the ways that cancer spreads is through the lymph nodes. Lymphangiography can be useful in the diagnosis and staging of persons with Hodgkin's disease and lymphomas and sometimes for other cancers. It is a procedure which is done in an outpatient setting or in a hospital. A blue dye is injected into the small lymph vessel after a cut is made in the big toe. The lymph system in the abdomen can then be looked at by means of x-rays. Since the lymph glands are very small, it usually takes 2 to 3 hours for the dye to reach the lymph nodes. Lymphangiography is used to localize and determine the extent of the tumors. The surgeon can use it as a guide to finding specific lymph nodes and determining the size of the tumor. The radiotherapist uses it to evaluate how a person is responding to therapy. Since the dye stays in the system for some 3 to 4 months, progress usually can be followed through x-rays without repeating the p...