Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma - Exams and Tests

SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS

If non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is suspected, your doctor will ask about your medical history and perform a physical exam. This exam includes checking for enlarged lymph nodes in your neck, underarm, and groin.

A tissue sample (biopsy) is needed to make a diagnosis. A biopsy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is usually taken from a lymph node, but other tissues may be sampled as well.

A bone marrow aspiration and biopsy is usually done to find out if lymphoma cells are present in the bone marrow.

Your doctor may also order other tests, including:

  • Blood tests, such as a chemistry screen to measure the levels of several substances in the blood and a CBC (complete blood count) to provide information about the kinds and numbers of cells in the blood.
  • A chest X-ray to provide a picture of organs and structures within the chest, including the heart and lungs, the blood vessels of the chest, and the thin sheet of muscle (diaphragm) that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity.
  • A CT scan (computed tomography) or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to provide detailed pictures of the organs and structures in the chest, abdomen, and pelvis.
  • PET scan (positron emission tomography) to show areas of increased metabolic activity. Metabolic activity refers to all of the chemical processes that take place in the body, such as using sugars for energy. Metabolic activity is generally high in cancer cells.
  • Lab tests, such as flow cytometry, that check the types of cells in a biopsy sample. These tests help your doctor find out the type of lymphoma.
  • Lumbar puncture (also called a spinal tap) to find out whether lymphoma cells are in the fluid (cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF) surrounding your brain and spinal cord.
  • Multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan, which is a type of cardiac blood pool scan. A cardiac blood pool scan shows how well your heart is pumping blood to the rest of your body. A MUGA scan can show whether your heart is strong enough to tolerate certain types of chemotherapy, like doxorubicin.

Early Detection

At this time, there are no special tests recommended for early detection of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The best strategy for early diagnosis is to see your doctor if you develop signs or symptoms of NHL.

By: Healthwise StaffLast Revised: May 28, 2010
Medical Review: Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Douglas A. Stewart, MD - Medical Oncology

© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

Advertisement
Care Circle

It Seems That You Are Not Logged In...

OR

Join Now

Welcome to Care Circle, an exclusive tool to help you take care of yourself and your loved ones. Here's how it works:

  1. Create profiles for yourself and your loved ones.
  2. Select the topics and conditions that interest each of you.
  3. Get customized news updates, original content, tools, and expert advice for each Care Circle member delivered directly to your personalized homepage.

The information you input is strictly private; you choose who has access to your Care Circle.

How do I add myself or someone else to my care circle?

Click on "Add someone." Fill out the short profile. Choose an avatar. Select the topics and conditions that interest this person from the pulldown menu. You can select as many as you want, but you must choose at least one. Click on "Add Someone" again. You should start getting updates immediately.

How do I save content to my Care Circle?

Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab of the person for whom you're saving content. Put your cursor over the piece of content that you want to save; a disk icon will appear in the righthand corner. Click on the disk and the piece of content will be moved to a save folder.

How do I add additional topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?

Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Add More to Follow," select additional topics and conditions.

How do I delete topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?

Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Follows," scroll over the topic or condition you want to delete. An "X" should appear on the righthand side. Click on the "X" and the topic or condition will be deleted from the list.

See All News

Advertisement