[CT for staging of systemic lymphatic diseases (author's transl)].

In 75 patients with lymphoma (46 Hodgkin's disease, 29 non-Hodgkin lymphomas) computed tomography was performed in order to detect neoplastic invasion of the abdominal organs (55 new cases) or to control the results of treatment (20 cases). In 30 cases enlarged retroperitoneal or mesenteric lymphnodes and/or liver or spleen enlargement were found. Neoplastic involvement of lymphnodes without enlargement was missed in two cases. CT failed also to demonstrate microscopic malignant invasion of liver and spleen. The false-negative rate in our series was 10.9%. Computed tomography is a non-invasive method which is very well suited for staging malignant lymphoma.