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Hilar lymph nodes: identification with spiral CT and histologic correlation
M Remy-Jardin1, P Duyck, J Remy
1Department of Radiology, Hôpital Calmette, Lille, France.
Purpose:
To determine the appearance of normal hilar lymph nodes and associated soft tissue at spiral computed tomography (CT).
Materials And Methods:
At spiral CT in 50 healthy patients, peribronchovascular hypoattenuated areas of 42 right and 45 left hila were systematically evaluated. Histologic results were correlated in five additional cases.
Results:
Hilar lymph nodes were depicted (a) in the right hilum (lateral to A2 [n = 33 (79%)], medial [n = 29 (69%)] or lateral [n = 11 (26%)] to the interlobar pulmonary artery, and medial to the lower-lobe pulmonary artery [n = 30 (71%)], A7 [n = 9 (21%)], and A8-10 [n = 8 (19%)]; and (b) in the left hilum (lateral to A2 [n = 22 (49%)], medial to the interlobar pulmonary artery [n = 45 (100%)], and the lower-lobe pulmonary artery [n = 27 (60%)], and in the angles of bifurcation of A7 + 8 and A9 + 10 [n = 18 (40%)]). Hilar lymph nodes were seen to be triangular or linear and to be less than 3 mm wide except around the left-lower-lobe pulmonary artery.
Conclusion:
Spiral CT accurately depicts normal hilar lymph nodes and their major anatomic relationships.