Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40704415›Full record

ArticleHead & neck2025

Assessing Head and Neck Cancer-Related Lymphoedema Using Indocyanine Green Lymphography-A Pilot Study.

Katrina Gaitatzis, Belinda Thompson, Hiroo Suami, Fiona Tisdall Blake, Asha Heydon-White, Puma Sundaresan, Dion Forstner, Louise Koelmeyer

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Head & neck, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Katrina GaitatzisAustralian Lymphoedema Education, Research & Treatment (ALERT) Centre, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-6043-712X
Belinda ThompsonAustralian Lymphoedema Education, Research & Treatment (ALERT) Centre, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-7427-9986
Hiroo SuamiAustralian Lymphoedema Education, Research & Treatment (ALERT) Centre, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Fiona Tisdall BlakeAustralian Lymphoedema Education, Research & Treatment (ALERT) Centre, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Asha Heydon-WhiteAustralian Lymphoedema Education, Research & Treatment (ALERT) Centre, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Puma SundaresanRadiation Oncology Network, Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.
Dion ForstnerGenesisCare, Macquarie University Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Louise KoelmeyerAustralian Lymphoedema Education, Research & Treatment (ALERT) Centre, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.

Funding

Macquarie University
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHead and neck cancer treatments can cause head and neck lymphoedema (HNL), impacting quality of life (QoL). This study examined lymphatic drainage changes in HNL using Indocyanine Green Lymphography (ICG-L) and assessed QoL, physical, and functional outcomes.

methodsTwenty individuals with HNL and 10 healthy controls completed the Lymphedema Symptom Intensity and Distress survey, bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS), skin assessments, percent water content, and ICG-L. Analysis included non-parametric and Kruskal-Wallis tests.

resultsICG-L showed preserved original lymphatic drainage in non-surgical and unilaterally treated individuals, while bilateral treatment disrupted original pathways, prompting compensatory drainage. Individuals with HNL reported significantly higher scores in soft tissue sensation, neurological symptoms, and biobehavioral symptoms (p < 0.001). Skin assessments revealed swelling and fibrosis. Significant differences were observed in lymphatic dysfunction (p = 0.002), BIS-derived skeletal muscle mass percent (p = 0.015), and phase angle (p = 0.002).

conclusionsThis study highlights the symptom burden and altered lymphatic drainage in HNL, with ICG-L showing potential for refining management strategies.

Indexed as

Head and Neck NeoplasmsIndocyanine GreenLymphedemaLymphographyAdultAgedCase-Control StudiesColoring AgentsDielectric SpectroscopyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsQuality of LifeColoring AgentsIndocyanine Greenhead and neck cancerindocyanine green lymphographylymphoedemapatient‐reported outcomesphysical assessmentsquality of life

Identifiers

PMID40704415
PMCPMC12617475

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.