[Significance of ultrasonic studies of the splenic hilus in malignant lymphoma].

In the course of abdominal ultrasonography of patients suffering from malignant lymphoma the authors observed frequently morphological alteration of the splenic vein in the hilus of spleen. Three conditions were determined which when occurring simultaneously created cases of dilated vein in the hilus of spleen. The incidence rate of dilated vein of the hilus of spleen has been determined in patient group with lymphoma and "healthy" control group. It was studied whether in cases with morphological alteration of the vein in the hilus of spleen the occurrence of abdominal nodal manifestations or the alteration of the sonographic structure of the spleen were detectable at a higher rate in the group of patients suffering from lymphoma. On the basis of the results the authors are of the opinion that when the sonographic signs of the dilated splenic vein of the hilus of spleen are present the negative result of sonography must be considered more carefully than usual and other more sensitive diagnostic methods must be applied for the detection of the abdominal manifestations of lymphoma.