[Lymphoma in children and adolescents].

CLINICAL/METHODOLOGICAL ISSUE: Lymphoma is the third most common neoplasm in children. Detection, accurate staging, and restaging are important for all radiologists involved in the diagnosis of children.

STANDARD RADIOLOGICAL

METHODS

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), CT, ultrasound, X‑ray.

METHODOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS: Whole-body imaging (MRI and PET-MRI or PET-CT) play a key role in diagnostics and for therapy selection in Hodgkin lymphoma.

PERFORMANCE: In particular, hybrid imaging using 18F‑FDG PET is proving to be a powerful method for staging and restaging.

ACHIEVEMENTS: Standardization of imaging and inclusion in therapy studies (e.g. within the framework of the EuroNet-PHL-C2 study) improves diagnostics and simultaneously reduces therapy-related side effects.

PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS: In Hodgkin lymphoma, deviations from the prescribed diagnostic procedure should be avoided. In clinically very heterogeneous non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), on the other hand, the diagnostic procedure should be adapted to the actual clinical condition of the child. The role of interim PET in NHL is currently still the subject of clinical discussion.