Regional lymph nodes of liver and spleen: topographic evaluation based on CT examinations of Thorotrast patients

The formerly used contrast medium Thorotrast is stored in liver (60 %), spleen (30 %) and their regional lymph nodes. CT scans of 22 Thorotrast patients were reviewed regarding the evaluation of the abdominal lymph nodes. Due to the high density of Thorotrast-accumulating lymph nodes (> 500 HU) and the excellent contrast sensitivity of CT, lymph nodes less than 0.4 cm in diameter can be imaged. In all more than 1300 lymph nodes could be detected (mean 63 ± 24 per patient). The goal of the study was to describe the normal topographic anatomy of the regional lymph nodes of liver and spleen, which can not be visualised by bipedal lymphography. (orig.)