Iron, zinc, copper, manganese and magnesium in malignant lymphomas.

Lymph node and spleen tissues involved in malignant lymphomas were analysed for iron, manganese, copper, zinc and magnesium by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The levels of iron are found to be significantly lower in the case of Hodgkin's lymphoma compared with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and normal lymph nodes. However, they are elevated in Hodgkin's lymphoma when compared with the normal value for spleen tissues. Magnesium is significantly higher in lymph nodes of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma compared with Hodgkin's lymphoma and normal values, but is not altered significantly in spleen tissues. The distribution of the other elements examined is not altered significantly in malignant lymphomas. The importance of the in situ levels of these elements to NMR imaging is discussed.