Staging Of Hodgkin's Disease

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[edit] Staging Of Hodgkin's Disease

Hodgkin's disease is being treated differently depending on what stage it is found in at the time of diagnosis. This is why lymphoma staging
by a hematologist is a very important step before treatment can be started. The common staging system used for Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's disease is the Ann Arbor system or one of its modifications. The following is an abridged version of it:

Ann Arbor staging of Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Stage:	Comments:
I	presentation in one lymph gland only
II	two or more lymph glands are affected on the same side of the diaphragm
III	disease present in lymph nodes and/or spleen and on both sides of the diaphragm
IV	involvement of tissues outside of lymph nodes (for instance bone marrow, lung or liver tissue)

In order to come to accurate staging, the physician will have to order such tests as CT scans of the thorax and a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis. Tumors of intermediate or high grade will take up gallium, and gallium scan may be useful in certain cases. Bone lesions anywhere in the skeleton can be picked up by a regular bone scan.

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References:

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