Comparison of CT with MR imaging of endobronchial tumors

Twenty-nine patients suspected of having an endobronchial mass were examined by magnetic resonance (MR) and CT. Seventy-nine pathological and 319 normal bronchi were confirmed by bronchoscopy and/or operation in these patients. The studies were evaluated by two observers (A and B): By MR, only 72% (A) or 71% (B) of the pathological and 45% (A) or 43% (B) of the normal bronchi, respectively, were visualized. Computed tomography identified all pathological and 97% of the normal bronchi (A and B). Therefore, comparison between MR and CT was based only on those bronchi that were adequately visualized on MR as well as CT. For these bronchi the sensitivity of MR was 88% (A) or 77% (B) and of CT 96% (A) and 93% (B). Specificity was 92% (A) and 94% (B) for MR and 97% (A and B) for CT. At the present stage of development CT proved to be superior to MR in demonstrating endobronchial lesions.