What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate the clinical relevance of normal and abnormal findings in lymphoscintigraphy for lymphedema patients.

June 19, 2026Open Access

Clinical Relevance of Normal and Abnomal Findings in Lymphoscintigraphy in Patients with Lymphedma

Key Points

To evaluate the clinical relevance of normal and abnormal findings in lymphoscintigraphy for lymphedema patients.
Reviewed the principles and application of lymphoscintigraphy in diagnosing lymphedema.
Explored the use of 99mTc-phytate as a radiopharmaceutical in clinical practice.
Discussed variations in findings based on underlying causes of lymphedema.
Lymphoscintigraphy demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity in detecting lymphatic abnormalities.
Normal findings can indicate effective lymphatic function, while abnormal findings often reveal lymphatic obstruction.
Limitations of the technique were highlighted, emphasizing the importance of contextual interpretation of results.

Abstract

Lymphoscintigraphy is a nuclear medicine imaging technique used to assess the function and structure of the lymphatic system. It plays a critical role in identifying sentinel lymph nodes prior to cancer surgery and in diagnosing lymphedema. By subcutaneously injecting radiopharmaceuticals, lymphatic flow is visualized, allowing for evaluation of lymphatic vessels and nodes with high sensitivity and specificity to detect abnormalities. In South Korea, 99mTc-phytate is the primary radiopharmaceutical used, widely applied in both the diagnosis of lymphedema and the assessment of treatment outcomes. This review discusses the principles of lymphoscintigraphy, the characteristics of radiopharmaceuticals, and the clinical relevance of normal and abnormal findings in lymphedema patients. Additionally, this review explores how lymphoscintigraphy findings vary depending on the underlying causes of lymphedema, as well as the limitations of the technique.

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