Liver-spleen scan in Hodgkin's disease.

The liver-spleen scans were reviewed from 108 patients with Hodgkin's disease, including 71 not previously treated. The results were correlated with clinical and pathologic findings in 122 liver biopsies and 50 spleens. Splenomegaly on scan was associated with advancing stage and tumor involvement of the spleen and liver. All 13 spleens measuring over 15 cm on scan and all 7 with filling defects were positive for tumor. In combination with the physical examination and lymphangiogram, the scan enabled accurate prediction of splenic tumor in 43% of the cases. Mean size of the right and left hepatic lobes was greatest in patients with tumor in the liver, but this finding was attributable to the advanced stage of these cases. Filling defects were not a reliable sign of liver involvement. The combination of the lymphangiogram, physical examination, and liver scan proved useful in selecting groups with very high and very low probability of liver involvement.