Evaluation of abdominal lymphoma by ultrasound.

Ultrasonography was utilized in 13 patients with lymphoma of the bowel, the liver, spleen, and abdominal lymph nodes. The lymphomatous tumors were (except in one patient with Burkitt's lymphoma) ultrasonographically anechoic or hypoechoic and showed very good echo transmission. In 6 out of 13 patients, lymphography was negative, or there was no evidence of enlarged retroperitoneal lymph nodes by ultrasound or computed tomography. In these patients, abdominal lymphoma in other areas was shown by ultrasonography. After a base-line had been obtained, the therapeutic effect or progression of the tumor could be followed simply by ultrasound.