Lymphoma: Symptoms, Causes, Types & PET CT as a Diagnostic Tool

Lymphoma is a broad term which includes group of cancers in the lymphatic system. There are two types of lymphomas i.e., Hodgkin lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Lymphatic system consists of group of vessels, organs that help to fight against the infection. This is considered to be the blood cancer because it starts from the white blood cells (lymphocyte) in lymphatic system. Lymphoma is one of the common cancers that occurs and can be treated at the early stages. There is not any specific reason for the condition but researchers believe the genetic mutation in lymphocytes are other risk factors that can increase the probability like HIV virus, weak immune system, exposure to some chemicals etc. Early detection is important for the effective treatment of lymphoma and help to stop the spread. There are various testing procedures used for the detection of lymphoma some of these tests include PET CT, MRI, CT, biopsies etc. PET CT is one of the advanced diagnostic test that helps to identify the cancer at the early stage. The procedure used radioactive tracer for the diagnosis and 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) is commonly used for the diagnosis of lymphoma.

Lymphoma

Lymphoma is the general term used for the cancers of the lymphatic system. It is considered to be the type of blood cancer because white blood cells (lymphocytes) get involved in this cancer. Lymphatic system is the group of cells, organs, vessels which help to fight against the infection. Lymphoma is divided into 2 categories that is Hodgkin lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Hodgkin lymphoma involves the lymphocytes and spreads in a predictable pattern. Non-Hodgkin lymph infects B and T lymphocytes and spread in the non-specific pattern.

What are the different types of Lymphoma?

There are various types of Lymphoma depending on the type of cells involved in the cancer. These lymphomas include:

• Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)
• Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma
• Nodular Lymphocyte-Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma
• Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL)
• B-Cell lymphomas
• Follicular lymphoma
• Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL)
• Burkitt lymphoma
• T-cell lymphomas
• Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL)
• Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL)
• Natural killer (NK) cell lymphomas
• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (CLL/SLL):
• Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL)

What are the symptoms of Lymphoma?

There are various symptoms which are related to lymphoma and these symptoms include:

• Persistent Fatigue
• Painless swelling of lymph nodes
• Frequent high fevers
• Night sweating
• Shortness of breath
• Unexplained weight loss
• Loss of appetite

What are the causes of Lymphoma?

Lymphoma occurs when the lymphocytes divided in uncontrolled manner leading to the formation of tumors. Researchers believe that some genetic changes in the lymphocytes leads to this condition and other factors that can lead to lymphoma are:

• Infection of HIV virus
• Epstein-Barr and Kaposi sarcoma viral diseases
• Family history of lymphoma
• Weak immune system
• Autoimmune disease

What does PET CT scan show in the Lymphoma condition?

PET CT is used to look for the most of cancer condition because of various benefits that this diagnostic procedure provides. Here are some of conditions that will be shown by PET CT in lymphoma:

• stage of lymphoma
• origin of lymphoma
• spread of lymphoma
• severity of lymphoma
• Whether it is Hodgkin or Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• plan the treatment for the lymphoma
• Helps to target the particular area for biopsy
• reoccurrence of lymphoma
• Status of lymphoma before treatment
• Helps to design the treatment and which will be best treatment etc.

What are the different types of tests used for the detection of Lymphoma other than PET CT scan?

There are various tests used for the detection of lymphoma other than PET CT scan. These include physical examination, biopsies, pathological tests, imaging tests etc. Here the list of tests used for detect lymphoma

• Complete Blood Count (CBC)
• Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
• Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH)
• Liver and kidney function tests
• Serum Protein Electrophoresis
• Computed tomography (CT)
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Conclusion

Lymphoma is the condition of uncontrolled division of lymphocytes leading to the formation of tumors. There are various types of lymphomas depending on the type of cell involved in the cancer. Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin lymphomas are the 2 main type of lymphomas. There is not any specific reason for the lymphoma but various risk factors like HIV infection, weak immune system, autoimmune disease etc. are related with the lymphoma. Different symptoms of the condition include fatigue, weight loss, unexplained pain, shortness of breath etc. Early detection of lymphoma is important for effective treatment and stops the spread like other cancers. PET CT is one of the advanced diagnostic tools that are used for the detection. It helps to detect the cancer at cellular level, type of cancer, origin of cancer etc. CT give the anatomical picture of the lymphoma which helps to assess the lymphoma condition in better way.