[Reliability of the diagnostic results obtained with confined quantities of the contrast medium in endolymphatic radionuclide therapy (ELRT) of the inferior limbs (author's transl)].

Endolymphatic radionuclide therapy (ELRT) produces not only a radiotherapeutic effect on the lymph nodes but makes possible also to judge of the lymph nodes being stained with labelled lipiodol UF. With the purpose of avoiding an eventual radiation exposure of the lung, or at least of confining it to a minimum, only limited quantities not exceeding 3.5 ml (5 mCi of 32P; 0.5 mCi of 131I) of the oily contrast medium for unilateral, or twice 3.5 ml (together 4 mCi of 32P; 0.5 mCi of 131I) for bilateral application. A retrospective analysis of 245 patients of the study group for endolymphatic radionuclide therapy, who suffered from malignant melanomas of the inferior limbs, revealed 77.5% of correct diagnoses. Most of the false-positive findings (44/70) seem to be due to the knowledge of the primary disease, as 77% of these cases had been described as "suspicious". False-negative findings turned out in 5% only. The findings which had been characterized as "surely positive" proved reliable in 90%. The good results of lymphography with smaller quantities of the contrast medium are, on the whole, comparable to those of primary diagnostic lymphography.