[High-resolution CT-pathologic correlation of small adenocarcinoma of the lung]

High-resolution CT findings of 47 small pulmonary adenocarcinomas (20 mm or less in diameter) were correlated with the pathological classification of Noguchi et al. All seven tumors of Noguchi's type A showed homogeneous groundglass attenuation and no air densities except air bronchogram. Linear density radiating into surrounding lung parenchyma was not found in type A tumors. On the other hand, 38 of 40 tumors of types B, C, and D had some dense opacity domain, which increased in size in that order. Coarse indentation, which was not found in cases of type A and B tumors, was considered to be an important finding in differentiating cases in the good prognosis group (types A and B) from those in the poor prognosis group (types C and D).