Hodgkin disease and non-Hodgkin lymphomas in children: utilization of radiological modalities

Journal Article · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Radiology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1148/radiology.158.2.3510447· OSTI ID:5590850

Cohen, M D; Siddiqui, A; Weetman, R; Provisor, A; Coates, T

If costs of medical care are to be reduced, the choice of which imaging modality to use must be made as carefully as possible. This study was done to show how radiological modalities were used to evaluate patients with Hodgkin disease and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We kept a record of every radiological study performed on 66 children with both diseases seen in the past 6 1/3 years. The results of these studies were analyzed to see which areas of the body were studied, which imaging modality was used, how frequently the studies were repeated, and how frequently the studies gave abnormal results. Our findings disclosed that radiological studies have been appropriately performed in anatomic regions of the body in which disease is present. New imaging modalities have been introduced, and the use of some of the older modalities has been decreased. With some modalities, such as skeletal survey, liver/spleen scan, whole-lung tomography, contrast studies of the bowel, and excretory urography, utilization is higher than it ought to be in view of the fact that the yield of positive results is low and the information is obtainable in many cases from other more sensitive procedures. These studies should not be performed as a routine on initial evaluation or follow-up of all patients with Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphomas. On initial presentation all patients should undergo chest radiography and CT scanning of both chest and abdomen. A problem area is that the timing of follow-up studies has been somewhat erratic, with some inappropriate studies particularly 3 or 4 years after diagnosis. Too many imaging procedures have probably been done in follow-up of our patients.

• Research Organization: James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, IN
• OSTI ID: 5590850
• Journal Information: Radiology; (United States), Journal Name: Radiology; (United States) Vol. 2; ISSN RADLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550601* -- Medicine-- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
550602 -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Diagnostics-- (1980-)
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ABDOMEN
AGE GROUPS
ANIMAL TISSUES
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
BODY
BODY AREAS
BONE MARROW
CAT SCANNING
CHEST
CHILDREN
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISEASES
GLANDS
HEMATOPOIETIC SYSTEM
HODGKINS DISEASE
LIVER
LYMPHOMAS
MEDICINE
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANS
PATIENTS
RADIOLOGY
SPLEEN
TISSUES
TOMOGRAPHY