Lobectomy after three-dimensional computed tomography of the pulmonary artery.
Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of 3-dimensional imaging using multidetector row helical computed tomography for preoperative assessment of the branching pattern of the pulmonary artery before complete video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy for lung cancer.



Forty-nine consecutive patients with clinical stage I lung cancer scheduled for complete video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy were evaluated for pulmonary artery branching patterns on 16-channel multidetector row helical computed tomography. Intraoperative finding were compared with the 3-dimensional computed tomography angiography.



According to the intraoperative findings, 95.2% (139/146) of pulmonary artery branches were precisely identified on preoperative computed tomography angiography. All of the 7 undetected branches were less than 2 mm in diameter. No patient needed conversion to an open thoracotomy because of intraoperative bleeding.



Three-dimensional computed tomography angiography clearly revealed individual anatomies of the pulmonary artery and could play an important role in safely facilitating complete video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy. However, we were unable to detect several thin branches with this technique.
Cardiothoracic Department, Medical University of Alexandroupolis, Greece simoglouchristosdoctor@yahoo.com.
Christos
C
Simoglou
Cardiothoracic Department, St. Luke's Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Nikolaos
N
Tsolakis
D003287:Contrast Media; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media
Image processing; X-ray computed; computer-assisted; imaging; lung neoplasms; pulmonary artery; thoracic surgery; three-dimensional; tomography; video-assisted