Advances in radiological staging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Imaging plays a vital role in the management of non-small cell lung cancer including diagnosis, staging and follow-up. CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used in staging and provide anatomical information but have well known limitations in differentiating reactive from malignant nodes, and fibrosis from active disease and in defining the extent of invasion. MRI with its superior soft tissue contrast provides optimal information on brachial plexus and central nervous system involvement. Functional imaging using 2-18 fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography is increasingly being used to provide unique information and when combined with anatomic imaging will provide better staging information for both local disease and the extent of metastases.