Lymphangiographic findings in Behçet's disease with lymphangiectasia of the small intestine.

Abstract

Bipedal lymphography was performed in 5 cases of Behçet's disease. In 4 of 5 cases, histologic examination of intestinal biopsy specimens showed lymphatic dilatation of the small intestine which were considered to be a characteristic finding of intestinal lymphangiectasia, a protein-losing enteropathy, but no patient with Behçet's disease showed reduced concentration of serum total protein as well as abnormal value of 131I-PVP test. Lymphograms showed an increase in number of iliopelvic and lumbar lymphatic vessels as a major finding, but they failed to demonstrate a hypoplasia or aplasia of lymphatic system or obstruction of thoracic duct. It is conceivable that the lymphatic dilatation of the small intestine in Behçet's disease may be related to increased flow of lymph due to excessive vascular hyperpermeability and may not be related to a block of lymphatic system which has been considered to be a cause of enteric protein loss in intestinal lymphangiectasia. The authors wish to emphasize that the dilatation of lymphatic vessel of the small intestine is not a sufficient finding to indicate the presence of protein-losing enteropathy.