[Mediastinal lymph node staging in non-small cell lung cancer: comparison between spiral computed tomographic findings and pathology].
OBJECTIVE
Mediastinal lymph node staging in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is important to choose standard treatment plan and estimating prognosis. This study was to evaluate the clinical value of spiral CT in staging mediastinal lymph node in NSCLC through comparing spiral CT findings with corresponding pathology.


METHODS
A total of 89 patients with pathologically proven NSCLC received spiral CT and mediastinoscopic biopsy. The spiral CT findings and corresponding pathologic findings in staging mediastinal lymph node were compared. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of diagnosing mediastinal lymph node metastasis were calculated.


RESULTS
Compared with corresponding pathologic results, the overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of mediastinal lymph node staging with spiral CT were 58.9%, 70.0%, 60.5%, 68.6%, and 65.2%, respectively. The accuracy and specificity of spiral CT was relatively low in staging 4R, 5, 6, 7 lymph node groups; the false negative and false positive rates were relatively high in staging 4R, 7 lymph node groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Spiral CT is a non-invasive clinical examination which may be used in staging mediastinal lymph node in NSCLC; however, there exists false negative and false positive rates. It should be combined with other investigations, such as mediastinoscopy, to assess a more accurate mediastinal lymph node staging.
Zheng
Lie
L
State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China. zhenglie0791@tom.com
Wu
Pei-Hong
PH
Mo
Yun-Xian
YX
Xie
Chuan-Miao
CM
Ruan
Chao-Mei
CM
Li
Li
L
Shen
Jing-Xian
JX
Rong
Tie-Hua
TH
Wang
Xin
X
Zhang
Shi-Yi
SY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008482:Mediastinum; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods*