[Contrast medium persistence in lymph nodes as a prognostic criterion in Hodgkin's disease (author's transl)].
The persistence of contrast medium in the inguinal and retroperitoneal lymph nodes was observed in 104 cases of Hodgkin's disease. Systematic observations were continued until the contrast medium had disappeared completely. The maximum period of observation was 36 months. The following conclusions were reached: a) There is a difference in the behaviour in the contrast medium in normal and abnormal lymph nodes. b) There is a difference in behaviour between various groups of lymph nodes in patients with negative lymphographic findings. c) In patients with positive lymphographic findings the behaviour of the contrast medium varies depending on the histology and radiological appearances of the lymph nodes. An attempt to correlate the persistence of contrast medium with survival time has shown that there is a shorter period of survival in those patients in whom the contrast medium disappeared most quickly from the abnormal nodes. The persistence of contrast medium in the lymph nodes should be borne in mind during treatment planning.