Importance of preoperative imaging with 64-row three-dimensional multidetector computed tomography for safer video-assisted thoracic surgery in lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has recently been adopted for complicated anatomical lung resections. During these thoracoscopic procedures, surgeons view the operative field on a two-dimensional (2-D) video monitor and cannot palpate the organ directly, thus frequently encountering anatomical difficulties. This study aimed to estimate the usefulness of preoperative three-dimensional (3-D) imaging of thoracic organs.


METHODS
We compared the preoperative 64-row three-dimensional multidetector computed tomography (3DMDCT) findings of lung cancer-affected thoracic organs to the operative findings.


RESULTS
In comparison to the operative findings, the branches of pulmonary arteries, veins, and bronchi were well defined in the 3D-MDCT images of 27 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
3D-MDCT imaging is useful for preoperatively understanding the individual thoracic anatomy in lung cancer surgery. This modality can therefore contribute to safer anatomical pulmonary operations, especially in VATS.
Department of Surgery, Jikei University Kashiwa Hospital, 163-1 Kashiwashita, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8567, Japan.
Tadashi
T
Akiba
Hideki
H
Marushima
Junta
J
Harada
Susumu
S
Kobayashi
Toshiaki
T
Morikawa
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome