Comparative Evaluation of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound and Indocyanine Green Lymphography for Lymphatic Mapping: A Retrospective Study

Background:. Lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) is an effective surgical treatment for extremity lymphedema. Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescent lymphography, the traditional standard for imaging lymphatic vessels, has limitations, including difficulty depicting deeper or congested lymphatics and co...

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Main Authors: Samyd S. Bustos, MD, Maria Rios, MPH, Samuel Jang, MD, Gina K. Hesley, MD, Christine U. Lee, MD, PhD, Nho V. Tran, MD, Vahe Fahradyan, MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer 2025-08-01
Series:Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open
Online Access:http://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/10.1097/GOX.0000000000007022
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author Samyd S. Bustos, MD
Maria Rios, MPH
Samuel Jang, MD
Gina K. Hesley, MD
Christine U. Lee, MD, PhD
Nho V. Tran, MD
Vahe Fahradyan, MD
author_facet Samyd S. Bustos, MD
Maria Rios, MPH
Samuel Jang, MD
Gina K. Hesley, MD
Christine U. Lee, MD, PhD
Nho V. Tran, MD
Vahe Fahradyan, MD
author_sort Samyd S. Bustos, MD
collection DOAJ
description Background:. Lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) is an effective surgical treatment for extremity lymphedema. Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescent lymphography, the traditional standard for imaging lymphatic vessels, has limitations, including difficulty depicting deeper or congested lymphatics and contraindication in iodine hypersensitivity. This study evaluated contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with microbubbles for identifying lymphatic vessels for LVA and compared it with ICG lymphography. Methods:. In this single-center retrospective review, intraoperative CEUS with intradermal injection of microbubble suspension (Lumason, Bracco Diagnostics, Inc.) was used in patients before LVA surgery between October 2019 and February 2023. Pre- or intraoperative ICG lymphography was also used to identify target lymphatic vessels. All patients diagnosed with primary or secondary extremity lymphedema who underwent LVA were included. Technical success rate was defined as lymphatic vessels identified by CEUS that led to successful LVAs. Descriptive statistics were used. Results:. Thirty-two patients underwent LVA surgery, with a mean age of 58.5 ± 13.9 years. CEUS identified lymphatic vessels in all 32 patients, including 7 in whom ICG failed. Two patients with ICG allergy underwent CEUS only. CEUS identified more candidate lymphatics per patient (5.3 ± 4.2) compared with ICG (2.5 ± 2.7). Of the 182 anastomoses, 96 (52.8%) were identified by both CEUS and ICG, 75 (41.2%) by CEUS only, and 11 (6%) by ICG only. Conclusions:. CEUS is a promising tool for identifying lymphatic vessels in patients with lymphedema undergoing LVA, particularly when ICG lymphography is inadequate or contraindicated.
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spelling doaj-art-ae3e7fffb3174242bc3762b19fa480092025-08-26T03:24:29ZengWolters KluwerPlastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open2169-75742025-08-01138e702210.1097/GOX.0000000000007022202508000-00003Comparative Evaluation of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound and Indocyanine Green Lymphography for Lymphatic Mapping: A Retrospective StudySamyd S. Bustos, MD0Maria Rios, MPH1Samuel Jang, MD2Gina K. Hesley, MD3Christine U. Lee, MD, PhD4Nho V. Tran, MD5Vahe Fahradyan, MD6From the * Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MNFrom the * Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN† Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.† Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.† Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.From the * Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MNFrom the * Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MNBackground:. Lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) is an effective surgical treatment for extremity lymphedema. Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescent lymphography, the traditional standard for imaging lymphatic vessels, has limitations, including difficulty depicting deeper or congested lymphatics and contraindication in iodine hypersensitivity. This study evaluated contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with microbubbles for identifying lymphatic vessels for LVA and compared it with ICG lymphography. Methods:. In this single-center retrospective review, intraoperative CEUS with intradermal injection of microbubble suspension (Lumason, Bracco Diagnostics, Inc.) was used in patients before LVA surgery between October 2019 and February 2023. Pre- or intraoperative ICG lymphography was also used to identify target lymphatic vessels. All patients diagnosed with primary or secondary extremity lymphedema who underwent LVA were included. Technical success rate was defined as lymphatic vessels identified by CEUS that led to successful LVAs. Descriptive statistics were used. Results:. Thirty-two patients underwent LVA surgery, with a mean age of 58.5 ± 13.9 years. CEUS identified lymphatic vessels in all 32 patients, including 7 in whom ICG failed. Two patients with ICG allergy underwent CEUS only. CEUS identified more candidate lymphatics per patient (5.3 ± 4.2) compared with ICG (2.5 ± 2.7). Of the 182 anastomoses, 96 (52.8%) were identified by both CEUS and ICG, 75 (41.2%) by CEUS only, and 11 (6%) by ICG only. Conclusions:. CEUS is a promising tool for identifying lymphatic vessels in patients with lymphedema undergoing LVA, particularly when ICG lymphography is inadequate or contraindicated.http://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/10.1097/GOX.0000000000007022
spellingShingle Samyd S. Bustos, MD
Maria Rios, MPH
Samuel Jang, MD
Gina K. Hesley, MD
Christine U. Lee, MD, PhD
Nho V. Tran, MD
Vahe Fahradyan, MD
Comparative Evaluation of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound and Indocyanine Green Lymphography for Lymphatic Mapping: A Retrospective Study
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open
title Comparative Evaluation of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound and Indocyanine Green Lymphography for Lymphatic Mapping: A Retrospective Study
title_full Comparative Evaluation of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound and Indocyanine Green Lymphography for Lymphatic Mapping: A Retrospective Study
title_fullStr Comparative Evaluation of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound and Indocyanine Green Lymphography for Lymphatic Mapping: A Retrospective Study
title_full_unstemmed Comparative Evaluation of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound and Indocyanine Green Lymphography for Lymphatic Mapping: A Retrospective Study
title_short Comparative Evaluation of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound and Indocyanine Green Lymphography for Lymphatic Mapping: A Retrospective Study
title_sort comparative evaluation of contrast enhanced ultrasound and indocyanine green lymphography for lymphatic mapping a retrospective study
url http://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/10.1097/GOX.0000000000007022
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