Endobronchial metastasis from renal cell carcinoma: CT findings in four patients.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the CT findings of an endobronchial metastasis from a renal cell carcinoma (RCC).


METHODS
The CT findings and clinical features of a histologically proven endobronchial metastasis from a RCC in four patients (three male, one female; age range, 64-80 years; mean age, 69 years) were reviewed retrospectively. The location of the metastasis in the airway, shape, the degree of tumor enhancement, and the associated pulmonary parenchymal abnormalities were analyzed.


RESULTS
The histological subtype of the endobronchial metastases from the RCC was conventional in all cases. The tumors were located at the lobar (n = 1), both the lobar and segmental (n = 2), or the segmental (n = 1) bronchus. On the CT scan, the tumors were polypoid (n = 1), had a glove-finger appearance (n = 2), and exhibited branching in the airways and bronchial wall thickening (n = 1). The endobronchial metastasis from the RCC showed very high attenuation (84-128 HU), and strong enhancement (51.6-93.3 HU) on the contrast-enhanced CT images. The lung parenchymal lesions that had reticular opacities and ground glass opacities (n = 3).


CONCLUSIONS
An endobronchial metastasis from a RCC appears as a strong-enhancing mass or bronchial wall thickening, accompanied by reticular opacities and ground glass opacities.
Park
Chang Min
CM
Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, SNUMRC, 28 Yongon dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul 110-744, South Korea.
Goo
Jin Mo
JM
Choi
Hyuck Jae
HJ
Choi
Seung Hong
SH
Eo
Hong
H
Im
Jung-Gi
JG
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed
D003287:Contrast Media