[Roentgenodiagnosis of primary lung carcinoma with cavity--analysis of 100 cases]

This paper reports the roentgenopathologic findings of 100 primary lung carcinomas with cavitation. It was found that formation of carcinomatous cavity was related to the histopathologic classification. The cavity could be formed in four ways: 1. Cancer tissue necrosis. 2. Abscess formation after obstructive infection. 3. Cancer infiltration around the bronchial wall leading to bronchial cancer embolus and necrosis. 4. The air-cyst-like lesion formation by check valve obstruction of cancer within the bronchial. A variety of cavity formation could result in different patterns such as: the thick walled cavity (42%), central cavity (28%), consolidation cavity (5%), thin walled cavity (7%), abscess cavity (6%) and spotted cavity (12%). The lobule, spicules or notched margins are usually observed on the outer wall of the thick walled cavity which are considered as the typical manifestation of cancer cavity. The consolidation cavity, thin walled cavity, abscess cavity or spotted cavity should be differentiated from infections, tuberculosis etc. The diagnosis can be proved by sputum examination and/or fiberbronchoscopy.