There are over 20 distinct varieties of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. If after a physical examination your doctor suspects you may have the disease, a series of tests will be ordered to rule out Hodgkin lymphoma or other lymphatic disorders. This diagnosis process involves tests of one or more of the following: a biopsy, or tissue removal, from a swollen lymph node or bone marrow, CT scan, MRI, ultrasound, spinal tap, or PET scan. Positive results mean a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which will be further broken down as either B-cell or T-cell. It will also be classified as either indolent, or low grade, meaning the disease is spreading slowly, has few symptoms, and is very responsive to treatment, or aggressive, or high-grade, a fast-spreading form with severe symptoms requiring intensive treatment. Depending on the location and distribution of the tumors, and on whether secondary symptoms are present, the diagnosis will be assigned a stage number (1 through 4) and a letter (A or B).
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