What are the cross sectional imaging features that help to distinguish colorectal lymphoma from adenocarcinoma?
Comparison of Cross sectional Imaging Features of Colorectal Lymphoma and Colorectal Adenocarcinoma
| LYMPHOMA | ADENOCARCINOMA | |
|---|---|---|
| Effect on adjacent soft tissues | General preservation of surrounding visceral fat | May be associated with invasion of adjacent visceral fat and other organs |
| Bowel obstruction | No | Yes |
| Bowel lumen | Aneurysmal dilation | Annular narrowing |
| Wall thickening | Mild, smooth, concentric | Severe, irregular, eccentric |
| Transition from normal to abnormal wall thickness | Gradual | Abrupt with shouldering |
| Length of affected segment | Segmental or focal | Focal (<5 cm) |
| Lymphadenopathy | Bulky mesenteric and/or retroperitoneal lymph nodes are common | Enlarged lymph nodes tend to be less bulky than in lymphoma, predominantly in pericolic or mesenteric locations |
