Advantages | Drawbacks | Imaging modality |
Demonstrate disorders of the internal tissues of lymph nodes | Fever, Infection and lymph vessels inflammation, contrast medium remain for up to 2 years in lymph nodes | Lymphangiography |
Lymphatic function | Low image resolution, prolonged procedure time cost, radiation dose | Lymphoscintigraphy |
insignificantly invasive, simple, Real-time imaging and sensitive | Cannot detect deep lymphatic vessels (≤2 cm) | Indo cyanine green-lymphography (ICG-L) |
Cheap, low cost | Limited contrast resolution Radiation risk | Computed Tomography |
Excellent anatomy high spatial resolution No radiation exposure 3D image physiological information high soft tissue contrast | Contrast medium can not differentiate benign and cancer tumors | Magnetic resonance lymphangiography (MRL) |
No contract medium illustrate static fluid-filled lymphatic vessels, safe and feasible | Suspension the lymphatic drainage for 48 h. Elastic stockings or bandages for 24 h | Non-contrast Magnetic Resonance Lymphangiography (NCMRL) |