Extensive wall thickening in intestinal Burkitt lymphoma.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate intestinal lesions in Burkitt lymphoma.

METHODS

Ultrasonography was used in the initial evaluation of 6 Japanese patients with intestinal Burkitt lymphoma.

RESULTS

Ultrasonography revealed marked wall thickening of the colon from the cecum through either the ascending or the transverse colon, which led to a target sign (4 cases) or a pseudokidney sign (2 cases). The target sign histopathologically corresponded to invagination of an occult tumor of the cecum into the ascending colon. Wall thickening of the colon when associated with a target or pseudokidney sign corresponded to marked lymph edema or a diffuse infiltration of Burkitt lymphoma cells into the intramural layers, respectively

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrasonography provides useful information in the initial evaluation of intestinal lesions with distinctive histopathologic characteristics in Burkitt lymphoma.