title: Adenocarcinoma of the lung with scattered consolidation: radiological-pathological correlation and prognosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the clinicopathological features and prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung with scattered consolidation (ALSC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2006 and March 2010, 139 consecutive patients with lung adenocarcinoma of ≤3 cm, who underwent pulmonary resection for lung cancer, were investigated retrospectively. Radiologic classification was based on the findings of thin-section CT such as the presence of consolidation or ground-glass opacity (GGO). Type I (n=15) and Type II (n=14), showed a pure GGO and a mixed GGO with consolidation <50%, respectively. Type IV (n=38) and Type V (n=52) showed a mixed GGO with consolidation ≥50% and a pure consolidation, respectively. Type III (n=20) was the adenocarcinoma of the lung with scattered consolidation (ALSC). The clinicopathological features and prognosis of ALSC was investigated with comparative analysis and survival analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Because of the similar recurrence rate for Type I and Type II (P=1.000), Type IV and Type V (P=0.343), we merged Type I and Type II as Type I+II, Type IV and Type V as Type IV+V, respectively. In the 20 (14.4%) patients with ALSC, lymph node metastasis was not observed, and it was rare in lymphatic invasion and vascular invasion. On the basis of IASLC/ATS/ERS 2011 classification, 80% of the ALSC were preinvasive lesions. In Noguchi classification, there was no significant difference between Type I+II and ALSC (P=0.260). The prognosis of ALSC was similar to Type I+II (P=0.408), but better than Type IV+V (P=0.040).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adenocarcinoma of the lung with scattered consolidation (ALSC) on thin-section CT was a relatively favorable prognostic factor.
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Medical Center and Department of Radiology, BenQ Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 71 Hexi Street, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210019, China. mbhh@live.cn
authors.forename: Binghu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Shodayu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takashima
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hakucho
authors.forename: Numasaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hodaka
authors.forename: Tomita
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yasuhiko
authors.forename: Higashiyama
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Masahiko
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Adenocarcinoma; Lung; Prognosis; Scattered consolidation