[Computer tomographic evaluation of mediastinal lymph nodes in bronchial cancer]

Of all the mediastinal lymph nodes, the retrocaval and pre-tracheal groups can be most frequently demonstrated by computer tomography. With the aim of providing better quantitative assessment, the maximal diameter of these lymph nodes was measured in five patient groups: I Control group (132 cases), II patients with inflammatory lung disease (17 patients), III patients operated for bronchial carcinoma, but without lymph node involvement (62 patients), IV patients operated for bronchial carcinoma with lymph node involvement (eight patients), V patients who have not had surgery, but who had enlarged lymph nodes (16 patients).