In the past, a lymphangiogram or surgical laparotomy (which involves opening the abdominal cavity and visually inspecting for tumors) were performed. Lymphangiograms or laparotomies are very rarely performed, having been supplanted by improvements in imaging with the CT scan and PET scan.On the basis of this staging, the person will be classified according to a staging classification (the Ann Arbor staging classification scheme is a common one):
Stage I is involvement of a single lymph node region (I) (mostly the cervical region) or single extralymphatic site (Ie);
Stage II is involvement of two or more lymph node regions on the same side of the diaphragm (II) or of one lymph node region and a contiguous extralymphatic site (IIe);
Stage III is involvement of lymph node regions on both sides of the diaphragm, which may include the spleen (IIIs) or limited contiguous extralymphatic organ or site (IIIe, IIIes);
Stage IV is disseminated involvement of one or more extralymphatic organs.The absence of systemic symptoms is signified by adding "A" to the stage; the presence of systemic symptoms is signified by adding "B" to the stage. For localised extranodal extension from mass of nodes that does not advance the stage, subscript "E" is added. Splenic involvement is signified by adding "S" to the stage. The inclusion of "bulky disease" is signified by "X". Pathology
MacroscopyAffected lymph nodes (most often, laterocervical lymph nodes) are enlarged, but their shape is preserved because the capsule is not invaded. Usually, the cut surface is white-grey and uniform; in some histological subtypes (e.g.
Radiation and some chemotherapy drugs, however, increase the risk of other cancers, heart disease, or lung disease over the subsequent decades.In 2015, about 574,000 people globally had Hodgkin lymphoma, and 23,900 (4.2%) died. In the United States, 0.2% of people are affected at some point in their life. Most people are diagnosed with the disease between the ages of 20 and 40. Signs and symptoms
People with Hodgkin lymphoma may present with the following symptoms:

Lymphadenopathy: the most common symptom of Hodgkin is the painless enlargement of one or more lymph nodes. The nodes may also feel rubbery and swollen when examined. The nodes of the neck, armpits and groin (cervical and supraclavicular) are most frequently involved (80–90% of the time, on average). The lymph nodes of the chest are often affected, and these may be noticed on a chest radiograph. Systemic symptoms: about one-third of people with Hodgkin disease may also present with systemic symptoms, including:Itchy skin
Night sweats. Unexplained weight loss of at least 10% of the persons total body mass in six months or less. Low-grade fever. Fatigue (lassitude). Systemic symptoms such as fever, night sweats, and weight loss are known as B symptoms; thus, presence of these indicate that the persons stage is, for example, 2B instead of 2A. Splenomegaly: enlargement of the spleen is often present in people with Hodgkin lymphoma. The enlargement is seldom massive, and the size of the spleen may fluctuate during the course of treatment.