Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42578114›Full record

ArticlePlastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open2026

Lymphoscintigraphic Findings in Patients With Lipedema: A Systematic Review.

Hatan Mortada, Malak Abdulaziz Alsaif, Abdulrahman AlJohani, Alwaleed Mohammed Altuwaijri, Feras Alshomer

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

5 authors.

Hatan MortadaFrom the Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Malak Abdulaziz AlsaifDivision of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Burns, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abdulrahman AlJohaniCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Alwaleed Mohammed AltuwaijriKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Feras AlshomerDivision of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Lipedema is a chronic disorder characterized by excessive, bilateral, and symmetrical deposition of subcutaneous adipose tissue, predominantly in the lower extremities. Despite its prevalence, lipedema is frequently misdiagnosed as lymphedema, and lymphoscintigraphy is commonly used to differentiate between the two. This systematic review synthesizes the available evidence regarding the most common lymphoscintigraphy findings in patients with lipedema. Methods: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive search was performed across the MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Studies were included if they reported lymphoscintigraphy findings in patients with lipedema and provided a clear description of the imaging protocol. Extracted data included patient demographics, lymphoscintigraphy protocols, and imaging findings. Results: Seven studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 470 patients, of whom 311 had lipedema. The mean age was 47.4 years, and all patients were women. The mean body mass index was 32.6 kg/m Conclusions: Lymphoscintigraphic alterations in patients with lipedema seem to reflect lymphatic overload rather than frank insufficiency. However, significant heterogeneity in study methodologies precluded a quantitative meta-analysis. Future research should focus on establishing standardized, consensus-based imaging protocols to better define the role of lymphoscintigraphy in the diagnosis and staging of lipedema.

Identifiers

PMID42578114
PMCPMC13456735

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.