[Diagnosis of spherical shadows in the lungs]

From analysis of the results of scrupulous examination of 66 patients with pathological shadows up to 3 cm in diameter found in the lungs during X-ray examination the authors established that peripheral carcinoma of the lung accounts for 65.2% of all asymptomatic accidentally revealed structures in the lungs. Computerized tomography is a valuable method of differential diagnosis of small spherical shadows in the lungs, which also makes it possible to determine the spread of the disease during a single examination of the patient. The method of fine-needle aspiration biopsy under control of computerized tomography with subsequent cytological examination of the aspired material is simple, relatively safe, and highly informative in peripheral carcinoma of the lung. The method is of less diagnostic value in cases with benign structures in the lungs.