[The value of "blood vessel convergency" sign in the diagnosis of small peripheral lung cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate blood vessel convergency (BVC) sign in the radiologic diagnosis of small peripheral lung cancer.


METHODS
A prospective thin-section CT-pathology comparative study was done in 123 cases with solitary pulmonary nodules less than 3 cm in diameter including 83 peripheral lung cancera (adenocarcinoma 46, squamous-cell carcinoma 21, bronchiolo-alveolar-cell carcinomas 7, undifferentiated carcinoma 6, adenosquamous carcinoma 3) and 40 benign lesions. They were pathologically and clinically confirmed. Serial transverse sections of the surgically resected specimens were examined microscopically in 91 cases. Attention was focused on the imaging and histological manifestations of BVC.


RESULTS
BVC was found in 54 (65.1%) peripheral lung cancers and in 8(20%) benign nodules (chi 2 = 22.75, P < 0.001). Histologically, the convergent vessels were shown to be dilated arterioles or venules.


CONCLUSIONS
Blood vessel convergency can be regarded as a valuable sign for the diagnosis of small peripheral lung cancers.
Yu
L
L
Department of Radiology, Third Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150040.
Zhang
H
H
Wang
X
X
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed