ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASOUND FOR DEMONSTRATION AND STAGING OF GASTRIC NON-HODGKIN LYMPHOMA

Nine patients (five women, four men, mean age 64.2 [49-77] years) with histologically confirmed gastric non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) were investigated before starting therapy and during follow up, using endoscopic ultrasound, computer-assisted tomography and conventional ultrasound. Of ten gastric NHL infiltrations, nine were demonstrable using endoscopic ultrasound, three by computed tomography and two with conventional ultrasound. Accurate assessment of the primary tumour stage was possible in six out of eight cases using endoscopic ultrasound, but in none using tomography or conventional ultrasound. Three of these patients had inflammatory changes in enlarged paragastric lymph nodes and five malignant lymphomatous involvement. The latter was demonstrable by endoscopic ultrasound in all cases, by computed tomography in three cases and by conventional ultrasound in two cases. False positive results were obtained in two cases using endoscopic ultrasound and computed tomography. Regression of the tumour and of paragastric lymph nodes on radio-chemotherapy was demonstrable in two cases, and progression in one using endoscopic ultrasound; the other techniques showed progression of extragastric lymphoma involvement in only one case. - Endoscopic ultrasound is an efficient method for demonstration and local staging of gastric non-Hodgkin lymphomas.