Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the tracheobronchial tree: radiographic and CT findings in 12 patients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the radiographic and computed tomographic (CT) findings and clinical features of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the tracheobronchial tree.


METHODS
Chest radiographic and CT findings and clinical features of 12 histopathologically proved mucoepidermoid carcinomas in 12 consecutive patients (five male, seven female; age range, 9-72 years; mean age, 36 years) were reviewed retrospectively.


RESULTS
The tumors were located at the distal trachea (n = 1) or at a main (n = 2), lobar (n = 1), or segmental (n = 8) bronchus. On chest radiographs, the tumors appeared as central masses with post-obstructive pneumonia or peripheral atelectasis in four patients and as solitary pulmonary or endotracheobronchial nodules in eight. At CT, the tumors were all smoothly oval (n = 6) or lobulated (n = 6) in shape (ranging 9-40 mm in diameter), adapting to the branching features of the airways. Punctate calcification within the tumor was seen in six patients. Neither metastasis nor recurrence was seen after the surgical resection (follow-up of 8-103 months; mean, 30 months).


CONCLUSIONS
Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the tracheobronchial tree, usually located in a segmental bronchus, appears at CT as a smoothly oval or lobulated airway mass. It adapts to the branching features of the airways.
Kim
T S
TS
Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, College of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea.
Lee
K S
KS
Han
J
J
Im
J G
JG
Seo
J B
JB
Kim
J S
JS
Kim
H Y
HY
Han
S W
SW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D001995:Bronchography; D018277:Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014132:Trachea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014134:Tracheal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology