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  • Edemas of the leg sometimes pose problems for diagnosis. Invasive procedures like lymphography or phlebography are either difficult to perform or might endanger the lymphatics. The value of magnetic resonance imaging was assessed in 20 patients with lymphedema, lipedema and phlebedema. Images of patients with lipedema showed homogenous enlarged subcutaneous tissue. In lymphedema a honeycomb pattern in the subcutaneous tissue was observed; in phlebedema there was an increase of fluid within the muscle. Magnetic resonance imaging is useful in differentiating lymphedema, lipedema or phlebedema.

  • Microlymphatics of human skin form two superposed networks. The superficial one located at the level of dermal papillae may be visualized by fluorescence microlymphography. Microlymphatics fill from a subepidermal depot of minute amounts of FITC-dextran 150,000. In primary lymphedema with late onset the depicted network with vessels of normal size is significantly larger than in healthy controls, whereas in congenital lymphedema (Milroy's disease) microlymphatics are aplastic or ectatic (diameter > 90 microns). Lymphatic microangiopathy with obliterations of microvessels develops in chronic venous insufficiency, in lipedema (preliminary results) and after recurrent erysipelata. In healthy controls microlymphatics are permeable to FITC-dextran 40,000 and impermeable to the larger molecule 150,000. Preserved fragments of the network in chronic venous insufficiency exhibit increased permeability to FITC-dextran 150,000. After visualization of the vessels by the fluorescent dye microlymphatic pressure may be measured by the servo-nulling technique. First results indicate that microlymphatic hypertension contributes to edema formation in patients with primary lymphedema.

Last update from database: 3/12/25, 8:25 AM (UTC)

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