Tag: Adenopathy

Less than 1% of patients with unexplained adenopathy seen in primary care have a malignant disease. The medical term **adenopathy** refers to the enlargement or swelling of glands, most commonly and specifically referring to lymph nodes. While often benign, the condition is a sign of an underlying issue that requires evaluation.

While most cases of adenopathy—the medical term for swollen lymph nodes—are a benign sign that your body is effectively fighting a minor infection, a small percentage can indicate more serious underlying issues. Understanding what does adenopathy indicate is the first step toward appropriate medical care when necessary.

Did you know that enlarged lymph nodes are a common immune response that nearly everyone experiences at some point? The medical term for this swelling is **lymphadenopathy**, a condition indicating your immune system is actively fighting an infection, inflammation, or another illness.

While often discovered incidentally during an imaging scan, retroperitoneal adenopathy, the enlargement of lymph nodes in the retroperitoneal space, can signal a variety of underlying health issues. It indicates an issue the immune system is reacting to, which can range from minor infections to serious conditions.