Oblique hilar tomography, computed tomography, and mediastinoscopy for prethoracotomy staging of bronchogenic carcinoma

Preoperative oblique hilar tomography was used to evaluate hilar lymph nodes in 150 patients with clinically resectable bronchogenic carcinoma. CT was also used in the evaluation of mediastinal lymph nodes in 50 of these patients. Subsequently, all patients underwent mediastinoscopy and/or thoracotomy. Hilar and mediastinal nodes were evaluated for the presence of metastasis, and these findings were then correlated with the radiographic findings of oblique hilar tomography and CT. CT was found to be a reliable method for prethoracotomy staging of bronchogenic carcinoma and for selecting patients for mediastinoscopy. The sensitivity of CT for evaluation of mediastinal nodal metastasis was 83% and the specificity was 90%. Thus patients with negative mediastinal CT need not undergo mediastinoscopy prior to thoracotomy, while mediastinoscopy and biopsy should be done in patients with enlarged mediastinal nodes on CT. Oblique hilar tomography is an accurate method for evaluation of hilar adenopathy and for predicting mediastinal involvement by extrapolation.