Diagnosis

Your doctor will likely ask you about your personal and family medical history. He or she may then have you undergo tests and procedures used to diagnose non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, including:

• Physical exam. Your doctor checks for swollen lymph nodes, including in your neck, underarm and groin, as well as for a swollen spleen or liver.
• Blood and urine tests. Blood and urine tests may help rule out an infection or other disease.
• Imaging tests. Your doctor may recommend imaging tests to look for signs of lymphoma cells elsewhere in your body. Tests may include CT, MRI and positron emission tomography (PET).
• Lymph node test. Your doctor may recommend a lymph node biopsy procedure to remove all or part of a lymph node for laboratory testing. Analyzing lymph node tissue in a lab may reveal whether you have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and, if so, which type.
• Bone marrow test. A bone marrow biopsy and aspiration procedure involves inserting a needle into your hipbone to remove a sample of bone marrow. The sample is analyzed to look for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cells.
• Lumbar puncture (spinal tap). If there's a concern that the lymphoma may affect the fluid around your spinal cord, your doctor might recommend a procedure to remove some of the fluid for testing. During a spinal tap, the doctor inserts a small needle into the spinal canal in your lower back.

Other tests and procedures may be used depending on your situation.

Your doctor uses information from these tests and procedures to determine the subtype of your non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and which treatments may be most effective. Many types of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma exist, including rare forms that some doctors may have never seen. Research shows that having your tissue samples reviewed by an experienced doctor may result in a more accurate diagnosis. If you have any concerns about your diagnosis, consider seeking a second opinion.