Mediastinal lymph node size in lung cancer

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1984 · AJR, Am. J. Roentgenol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.143.4.715· OSTI ID:6444531

Libshitz, H I; McKenna, Jr, R J

Using a size criterion of 1 cm or greater as evidence for abnormality, the size of mediastinal lymph nodes identified by computed tomography (CT) was a poor predictor of mediastinal lymph node metastases in a series of 86 patients who had surgery for bronchogenic carcinoma. The surgery included full nodal sampling in all patients. Of the 86 patients, 36 had nodes greater than or equal to 1 cm identified by CT. Of the 21 patients with mediastinal metastases proven at surgery, 14 had nodes greater than or equal to 1 cm (sensitivity = 67%). Of the 65 patients without mediastinal metastases, 22 had nodes greater than or equal to 1 cm. Obstructive pneumonia and/or pulmonary collapse distal to the cancer was present in 39 patients (45%). Obstructive pneumonia and/or pulmonary collapse is a common occurrence in bronchogenic carcinoma, but mediastinal nodes greater than or equal to 1 cm in this circumstance cannot be presumed to represent metastatic disease. Metastatic mediastinal lymph node involvement was related to nodal size also in patients with evidence of prior granulomatous disease and in patients with no putative benign cause for nodes greater than or equal to 1 cm.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Texas System Cancer Center, Houston
• OSTI ID: 6444531
• Journal Information: AJR, Am. J. Roentgenol.; (United States), Vol. 143:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
LUNGS
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
LYMPH NODES
SIZE
METASTASES
DIAGNOSIS
CARCINOMAS
MEDIASTINUM
PATIENTS
PNEUMONIA
SURGERY
BODY
BODY AREAS
CHEST
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
MEDICINE
NEOPLASMS
ORGANS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
TOMOGRAPHY
550602* - Medicine- External Radiation in Diagnostics- (1980-)