[Roentgenographic manifestations of peripheral bronchogenic carcinomas]

Peripheral bronchogenic carcinomas in early clinical stage are discovered by plain chest roentgenogram, and good prognosis will be expected by surgical resection. 20 bronchogenic carcinomas (18 adenocarcinomas, one squamous cell carcinoma, and one large cell carcinoma) in 19 patients were examined. 9 cases presented noduler lesion on the plain chest roentgenogram, and the other presented 7 focal patchy shadow and 4 band-like shadow. Thin-section CT could demonstrated indented pleura (95%), notch (95%), convergence of peripheral vessels (70%), irregular border (75%). In adenocarcinomas, thin-section CT demonstrated airbronchogram or airbronchiologram (61%), multiple small cavitation (61%), and heterogeneous density (56%). CT-pathologic correlation proved thin-section CT could demonstrate tumor's internal texture and fine detail of tumor-lung interface. Small peripheral lung cancer in early stage could be discovered by plain chest roentgenogram, and thin-section CT was useful for the diagnosis of small peripheral bronchogenic carcinomas, especially adenocarcinomas.