Important tests that your doctor is likely to book for you include bone marrow aspiration, imaging and pathology.
1. Bone marrow aspiration.
Lymphoma tends to invade the bone marrow so bone marrow aspiration is routinely performed;
2.Imaging examination.
It plays an important role in determining the stage of lymphoma.
Chest frontal and lateral radiographs and tracheal bifurcation body films: mainly to understand whether the lymph nodes in the chest, lungs and trachea are invaded.
Gastrointestinal tract angiography.
If you have invasion of the pharyngeal lymphatic ring, this test is necessary to find out the condition of the gastrointestinal tract.
Radiologic bone scan.
Your doctor may perform this test for you if he or she suspects bone involvement.
Ultrasound.
Ultrasound of the upper abdomen and pelvis is performed as a routine examination, focusing on the liver, spleen, retroperitoneal and abdominal lymph nodes, and ovaries.
Computed tomography (CT): If financial conditions allow, CT of the head, chest and abdomen should be performed to look at lymph node and organ involvement in more detail.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or positron emission computed tomography (PET): the doctor will arrange it according to the needs of the disease and provide a basis for disease staging and diagnosis.
3. Pathology examination.
If you are suspected of having lymphoma, your doctor may arrange for a pathology biopsy, which is the gold standard for lymphoma diagnosis. Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) is divided into four subtypes: lymphocyte predominant (LP), nodular sclerosis (NS), mixed cell (MC), and lymphocyte decompensated (LD). The classification of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) is more complicated.
What tests do I have to do when I arrive at the hospital?
Your doctor will first check for enlargement of superficial lymph nodes in various parts of your body. This test is done routinely regardless of whether you have enlarged lymph nodes on the surface of your body.
If superficial lymph nodes are enlarged, the doctor will first look for skin elevation, skin color changes, rashes, scarring, fistulas, etc., in the area where your lymph nodes are significant. Then, by sliding your index, middle and ring fingers together, he or she will determine the size, texture, smoothness, adhesions to the tissue next to the lymph nodes, ease of touching, and pressure pain of the superficial lymph nodes.
When lymphoma is suspected, blood tests and bone marrow tests, as well as imaging, are usually recommended. Ultrasound, radionuclide imaging and CT are the most common imaging tests, and PETCT (positron emission tomography) may be recommended to characterize and localize an enlarged lymph node.
The doctor will also select the larger lymph nodes, remove them from the body intact, make sections, and stain them for histopathological examination. Pathological examination is the basic method of diagnosing lymphoma.