Non-contrast MR Lymphography of lipedema of the lower extremities

Abstract Aim To assess imaging findings and characteristics of the lymphatic system in patients affected by lipedema and lipolymphedema of the lower extremities on Non-Contrast MR Lymphography (NCMRL). Materials and methods 44 lower extremities in 11 consecutive female patients affected by lipedema, and 11 patients with lipolymphedema were examined by NCMRL. MR imaging was performed on 1.5-T system MR equipment. The examination consisted of one 3D short-tau inversion recovery (STIR) and one heavily T2-weighted 3D-Turbo Spin Echo (TSE) sequence. Results All patients showed symmetrical enlargement of the lower extremities with increased subcutaneous fat tissue. The fat tissue was homogeneous, without any signs of edema in pure lipedema patients. In all the extremities with lipolymphedema, high signal intensity areas in the epifascial region could be detected on the 3D-TSE sequence (p  Conclusion NCMRL is a non-invasive imaging technique that is suitable for the evaluation of patients affected by lipedema and lipolymphedema, helping in the differential diagnosis.