1º Autor
De colaboração com o Dr. J. P. Lima
(LYMPHOLOGY 23 ; 215-218, 1990).
Whereas joint lymphatics are inaccessible to conventional (oil-contrast) lymphography, articular lymphatic dysfunction can be assessed by lymphoscintigraphy (isotope lymphoscintigraphy). Using 99mTc-labelled dextran (molecular weight-70,000 daltons), we performed dynamic lymphoscintigraphy on 38 patients with degenerative osteoarthropathy of the knee. Comparison with the normal (contralateral knee) in 25 patients demonstrated that at 24 hours the tracer disappeared more slowly from the abnormal side, but accumulated more intensely in regional lymph nodes on the pathologic side. The findings suggest dsordered macromolecular transport and lymphatic dysfunction in degenerative knee joint disease.
