Lymphocele

Last revised by Bahman Rasuli on 24 Jan 2022

Lymphoceles are collections of lymphatic fluid that happen most frequently in the postoperative setting. Although they can occur in potentially any part of the body where lymphatic tissue is resected (e.g. lymphadenectomy) or injured in trauma, they are most commonly seen in the retroperitoneum.

The collections are usually simple, containing creatinine, urea, and electrolytes in similar serum concentrations. There are no epithelial lined walls, which are made mostly of dense fibrotic tissue. Therefore, on imaging, lymphoceles present as thin-walled simple fluid collections with possible minimal wall enhancement. 

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