Mesenteric Lymph Nodes Seen at Imaging: Causes and Significance

Abstract

With the advent of multidetector computed tomography, routine evaluation of mesenteric lymph nodes is now possible. For the first time, normal mesenteric nodes may be reliably identified noninvasively. Because of the increasing volume of cross-sectional imaging examinations being performed, lymph nodes in the mesentery are being detected with increasing frequency. This is often an unsuspected finding. Although the detected lymph nodes may be normal, there is a large number of disease processes that may lead to mesenteric lymphadenopathy. The most common causes of mesenteric lymphadenopathy are neoplastic, inflammatory, and infectious processes. Many of these causes may also result in lymphadenopathy elsewhere in the body. It is important to recognize mesenteric lymphadenopathy in patients with a history of a primary carcinoma because the lymphadenopathy affects the staging of the disease, which in turn will affect further management. In addition, mesenteric lymphadenopathy may be the only indicator of an underlying inflammatory or infectious process causing abdominal pain. The distribution of the lymph nodes may indicate the exact nature of the underlying disease process, and the correct treatment may then be instituted. Besides neoplastic, inflammatory, and infectious processes, many other disease processes may occasionally result in mesenteric lymphadenopathy.

Percutaneous Tattoo Pigment Simulating Calcific Deposits in Axillary Lymph Nodes

“…Benign causes include prior granulomatous disease, most commonly histoplasmosis, which typically demonstrates a more coarse appearance (3). Fat necrosis is an additional cause of calcifi ed lymph nodes (4,5). Gold deposits can mimic intranodal axillary calcifi c deposits on mammography in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have undergone chrysotherapy treatment (6).…”

“…Axillary lymph node calcium due to metastatic ovarian cancer and papillary thyroid carcinoma has also been reported (8,9). Lymph node calcifi c deposits may also be seen in the setting of treated lymphoma (4,5). Th e broad diff erential diagnosis of axillary intranodal calcifi c deposits seen on radiologic examinations emphasizes the importance of histologic examination when a benign etiology is not apparent.…”

Abdominal manifestations of histiocytic disorders in adults: imaging perspective

“…41 Whipple disease Whipple disease is a systemic bacterial infection caused by Tropheryma whipplei and is also known as intestinal lipodystrophy. 42 It predominantly affects Caucasian males, with a maleto-female ratio of approximately 8 : 1 and a mean age of onset around 50 years. The disease can be fatal if not treated properly and relapse is common even with specific antibiotic treatment.…”

Computed Tomography and Ultrasound of Omental Infarction in Children: Differential Diagnoses of Right Lower Quadrant Pain

“…Mesenteric lymphadenitis is relatively frequent in children and is a diagnosis of exclusion (18). There are three or more clustered out.…”