Lymphoscintigram: results

As I said the images were interesting, here are my actual results.  Firstly, my initial scan showing the radioactive dye in my feet, just after I was given the injections.  

initial scan

 After I had walked around for two hours they did a second scan and the radioactive dye could then be seen up in my lymph nodes in the groin - I initially imagined it would show the pathways between the two but I think it is really hard to work out!

scan taken 2 hours later

My lymphoscintigram was reviewed at St George's and then discussed with me when I saw Dr Gordon there.  The results were a little surprising as the pace with which the radioactive dye moved through my legs was slower than normal.  They carry out a number of calculations on the scan results and they calculate that normal progress rate to be 8%.  My legs were both fairly equally slow, at just over 4% each.  I had walked constantly for the two hours between the scans but I still had a lot of radioactive dye left in my feet.  

 

The actual scans themselves show the dye in my feet and the route it took through my lymphatics up to my lymph nodes in the groin, and were used in calculating the uptake rates.  When she explained it to me Dr Gordon seemed surprised that the results were suggestive that I had lypmphoedema, not just lipoedema.  She couldn't see any signs of fluid swelling in my feet and lower legs, so she recommended that I could still go ahead with liposuction, but that I should definitely not give up wearing compression afterwards, and that I should wear it at night too for longer than Professor Schmeller recommended, to reduce my risk of developing lymphoedema.    

Dr Gordon said that it would be possible to have such poor lymphatic circulation that she wouldn't recommend taking the risk of harm from surgery.  She was reassuring that I wasn't in that position and she said she couldn't tell me if I was born with this level of impaired lymphatic function, or if my lipoedema had damaged my lymphatics so taken me down to this level from the normal one.  She couldn't tell me how long I might stay at around 4% or how much exactly these results had increased my risk of lymphoedema being caused by the liposuction as she said there is not yet enough research.  She did say that as I was now known to be at a higher risk it was important to ensure I had an experienced and skilled person performing the liposuction, so I emailed Professor Schmeller to check that he was going to be the actual person performing my liposuction as these results made me quite stressed and nervous.  

I have all the images above as I obtained them from St George's, to send to Professor Schmeller as he consulted a German colleague to prepare for my surgery.  St George's will sell them to you on a CD for £10 if your Dr requests it (you pay the finance department, get a reference number to quote to the scanning department and can then collect a CD in person, or have it posted out to you).