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Case Reports
. 2014 Jan 15:2014:bcr2013202424.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2013-202424.

Unilateral lower extremity swelling as a rare presentation of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Islam Y Elgendy  1 , Margaret C Lo
Affiliations
Case Reports

Unilateral lower extremity swelling as a rare presentation of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Islam Y Elgendy et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

Lower extremity oedema is frequently encountered in clinical practice. The challenge is to correctly identify the aetiology of oedema, and hence correctly manage the cause. Oedema can be classified as venous oedema and lymphoedema. Lymphoedema of the lower extremities is usually bilateral. Unilateral leg lymphoedema may occur secondary to radiation, surgery, compression by a tumour or early filariasis infection. Unilateral lower extremity lymphoedema has been reported as a rare initial presentation for lymphoma, mostly in women, usually without B-symptoms, and often with inguinal lymphadenopathies or abdominal masses. In this paper, we report a rare case of unilateral lower extremity oedema in a healthy male presenting to the outpatient clinic following trauma; further work-up revealed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with bulky inguinal lymphadenopathy compressing the iliac veins.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis in the axial view. The arrow points to the enlarged left iliac lymph nodes.
Figure 2
Figure 2
A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis in the coronal view. The arrow points to the enlarged left iliac lymph nodes.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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