Lymph node, sentinel
The first lymph node to receive lymphatic drainage from a tumor. The sentinel node for a given tumor is found by injecting a tracer substance around the tumor. This substance then travels through the lymphatic system to the sentinel node. The tracer substance may be a blue dye that can be tracked visually or a radioactive colloid that can be followed radiologically. Biopsy of the sentinel lymph node can reveal whether cancer has spread through the lymphatic system. If the sentinel node contains tumor cells, removal of more nodes in the area may be warranted.
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Cat scratch disease, a mild flu-like infection, with swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenitis) and mild fever of short duration, due to cat scratches, especially from kittens. There is usually a little bump (a papule) which may be pus-filled (a pustule) at the site of the scratch. The infection is self-limited and usually goes away by itself […]
- Lymphadenopathy
Abnormally enlarged lymph nodes. Commonly called swollen glands.
- Lymphadenopathy virus
Another name for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the cause of AIDS. HIV has also been called the human lymphotropic virus type III and the lymphadenopathy-associated virus and the lymphadenopathy virus. No matter what name is applied, it is a retrovirus. (A retrovirus has an RNA genome and a reverse transcriptase enzyme. Using the reverse […]
- Lymphangiogram
An X-ray of the lymphatic system for which a dye is injected to outline the lymphatic vessels and organs.
- Lymphangioleiomyomatosis
LAM is generally progressive, leading to increasingly impaired lung function. The rate of development can vary considerably among patients. As the disease advances, there is more extensive growth of muscle cells throughout the lung and repeated leakage of fluid into the chest cavity (pleural effusions). As an increasing number of cysts are formed, the lung […]