The use of MRI in the diagnosis of chronic lymphedema of the lower extremity.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used in 10 female patients with chronic lymphedema of the leg. Soft tissue changes in lymphedema is best visualized by T2-weighted sequences. Three patients had a characteristic honeycomb pattern of the subcutanous tissue, whereas the other patients had either diffuse edema or a reticular pattern. The muscular compartments were normal, while the dermis was significantly thickened in 9 out of 10 patients. In conclusion, characteristic changes were observed in MR images of patients with chronic lymphedema of the leg. Further investigations are necessary to evaluate the role of MRI as an aid in the choice of therapy.