title: Solitary pulmonary nodules. CT-bronchoscopic correlation.
abstract: The possible contribution of computed tomography (CT) in the management of patients with solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) or masses was reviewed retrospectively in 65 patients undergoing fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB). Nodules were evaluated by size, location, surface contour, and the presence in cross-section of a bronchus leading to or contained within the nodule or mass, a "positive bronchus sign." Thirty-five lesions were associated with a positive bronchus sign; 21 of 35 (60 percent) were diagnosed endoscopically, (p = .027); of 30 cases with a negative bronchus sign, only ten (30 percent) had a diagnosis made by FOB (p = .034). It is concluded that CT may be of use in the routine evaluation of pulmonary nodules, prior to bronchoscopy, especially in cases for which histologic evaluation is essential, especially to determine the presence or absence of a CT bronchus sign.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, NYU Medical Center/Bellevue Hospital 10016.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Naidich
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sussman
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Kutcher
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Aranda
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Garay
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Ettenger
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed