Magnetic Resonance Lymphangiography for the Study of Lymphatic System in Lymphedema

Impairments of lymph circulation can occur either because of congenital defects leading to malformation of the lymphatic system, or because of secondary damage to lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes. These impairments can cause accumula-tion of macromolecules and fluid in the tissue, resulting in lymphedema.1 Clinical diagnosis of lymphedema in an extremity is typically not difficult, particularly during the late stages of the disease. However, the history and clinical examination do not always indicate the nature or extent of the underlying abnormality (i.e., the anatomical extent, pathology, and cause). The development of clinical lymphology was slow for a long time. This was largely due to the lack of optimal diagnostic methods, including methods for lymphatic syste