Thoracic CT scanning for mediastinal Hodgkin's disease: results and therapeutic implications

Thoracic CT scans were performed on 42 newly diagnosed patients with Hodgkin's disease. Five of 10 patients with negative chest X ray (CXR) had abnormal thoracic CT scans. Among the remaining 32 patients with mediastinal Hodgkin's disease (MHD) on CXR, pericardial (Ep) and chest wall invasion (Ec) were the two most common sites of involvement which were detectable by CT scan alone. All 14 cases with Ep had M/T greater than or equal to 0.30 and 14 of 21 with M/T greater than or equal to 0.30 had Ep. Six cases had extensive Ec. Ep and Ec accounted for 16 of 19 of the changes in treatment portal or philosophy based on CT scan findings. Because of the high risk of cardiac or pulmonary radiation toxicity in Ep or Ec, radiation treatment alone may be inadequate. Treatment of mediastinal Hodgkin's disease is reviewed here. The use of CT scans for identification of Ep, Ec, and other abnormalities will allow for more precise treatment, further define the use of conventional radiotherapy, combined modality therapy or whole lung irradiation, and allow more accurate analysis of treatment results.