Small peripheral lung carcinoma evaluated with incremental dynamic CT: radiologic-pathologic correlation.
OBJECTIVE
To correlate incremental dynamic computed tomographic (CT) and pathologic findings in peripheral lung cancer.


METHODS
Lung lesions smaller than 3 cm in diameter were evaluated in 18 patients. CT values of the inner area of the nodule at plain CT and at 30 seconds, 2 minutes, and 5 minutes after administration of nonionic contrast material were calculated with incremental dynamic CT. Maximum attenuation was compared with pathologic type of lung carcinoma and with number of vessels and distribution of elastic fibers in the pathologic specimen.


RESULTS
Enhancement of all lesions was statistically significant (P < .0001). Maximum attenuation of lung carcinomas correlated positively with number of small vessels (diameter, 0.02-0.10 mm) (r = .77). Distribution of elastic fibers in the tumoral interstitium correlated with maximum attenuation (P = .04 between grades 1 and 3) and with number of small vessels (P = .01 between grades 1-3; P = .008 between grades 1 and 3).


CONCLUSIONS
Enhancement characteristics of lung carcinomas reflect the number of small tumoral vessels and the distribution of elastic fibers in the tumoral interstitium.
Yamashita
K
K
Department of Radiology, Shiga Health Insurance Hospital, Otsu, Japan.
Matsunobe
S
S
Takahashi
R
R
Tsuda
T
T
Matsumoto
K
K
Miki
H
H
Oyanagi
H
H
Konishi
J
J
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007472:Iohexol; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
D007472:Iohexol