[Imaging of supradiaphragmatic manifestations of extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma]

Abstract

Malignant lymphomas are differentiated into Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's-lymphoma (NHL). The following article discusses the imaging of extranodal NHL in supradiaphragmatic localizations. Lymphoma can affect nearly all tissues, and represent a rare entity as primary extranodal NHL. A secondary involvement of non-nodal tissue as consequence of a generalized lymphoproliferative disease is more common,and may be seen as well in HIV-positive patients defining AIDS. As extranodal lymphoma mimic the radiologic appearance of other malignant tumors, direct diagnosis without histologic analysis is often impossible. The article describes typical manifestations of lymphoma of the lungs, the head and neck area including the large glands, and rare localizations as the heart or the breast.