Computed tomography scanning and post-lymphangiogram radiography in the follow-up of patients with metastatic testicular cancer.

The use of computed tomography (CT) and lymphangiography in the follow-up of 50 patients with intra-abdominal metastatic testicular cancer was assessed. The pattern and time course of loss of lymphangiographic contrast medium from different node groups is described. Computed tomography was more effective than lymphangiography in assessing the presence of residual metastatic disease and showed residual disease in 21 patients when lymphangiography follow-up radiographs showed evidence of disease in only seven. In the detection of relapse, lymphangiography follow-up showed evidence of nodal enlargement in four of eight cases when CT showed evidence of relapse in all eight. Computed tomography is superior to lymphangiography in the follow-up of patients with metastatic testicular cancer both in monitoring response of known disease to treatment and in the detection of relapse.