Radiology of Lung Cancer and Staging Flashcards
What can an opacity of a chest X-ray indicate?
Pulmonary nodule, mass….
What should you note about the mediastinal area?
Hilar vascular structures should be crisply defined
No widening of the mediastinum
Trachea should be central
What should you look for when examaning the lungs?
Compare upper, middle and lower zones
Between ribs for lung detail
Behind the heart
What type of carcinoma is this?
Peripheral lung carcinoma
What type of lung cancer is this?
Suggest a reason why the left lung is collapsed
Central Lung Carcinoma
Collapse of lung, may even be a small tumor, but it is obviously placed in a main airway
What type of cancer is this?
Central Lung cancer
Right upper lobe collapse
In a chest X ray, what are the systematic review areas?
Hila, lung apices, behind the heart, beind the diaphragm
?
Left Hilar Mass
?
Right Hilar Mass
?
Mass Behind the heart
?
Mass of the left costophrenic angle
?
RIght apex/Pancoast tumour
What clinical history might be indicative of lung cancer?
Increasing SOB, smoker, history of pulmonary fibrosis, recent haemoptysis
What is the next step in diagnosis after a chest X ray?
CT
What does a CT tell you about a mass/nodule?
Size, shape, border, atelectasis, density, solid vs non-solid
What is a pulmonary mass?
An opacity in the lung over 3 cm with no mediastinal adenopathy (enlargement of the lymph nodes) or atelectasis
What is a pulmonasry nodule?
An opacity in the lung up to 3cm with no mediastinal adenopathy or alectasis.
What can a solitary pulmonary nodule be indicative of?
Lung cancer (likely if the patient is a smoker, old age)
Metastasis- (from breast cancer, renal cancer, seminoma, sarcoma)
Benign lung neoplasm, carcinoid, hamartoma
Infection bacterial, tb or fungal
Vascular haematoma, AVM(arteriovenous malformation)