Radiology of Lung Cancer and Staging COPY Flashcards
How many lung cancer patients present with advanced disease?
2/3
What is the first investigation carried out in the diagnosis of lung cancer?
Chest X-ray
What is the systematic approach to X-rays?
- Name/marker/rotation/penetration
- Lines/metal work
- Heart
- Mediastinum
- Lungs -zones (upper, middle, lower)
- Bones
- Diaphragm
- Soft tissue
How should the mediastinum look on an X-ray?
- Hilar vascular structures should be crisply defined
- No widening of mediastinum
- Trachea should be central
What should be examined in relation to the lungs on an X-ray
- Compare upper, mid and lower areas
- Look between ribs for lung detail
- Remember to look behind the heart
What can a small tumour within a main airway cause?
A collapse of the peripheral lung
What should doctors be aware of?
Lobar collapse which fails to resolve in 2 to 3 weeks in a smoker of age >45
What should you be aware of with lesions?
- They are often more subtle than tumours
- Beware of lesions behind the heart and hila
- Compare with previous films
- Always look at review areas
What areas are considered review areas?
- Hila
- Lung apices
- Behind the heart
- Behind the diaphragm
After confirming a lesion is intrapulmonary what is the nest test to run?
CT scan
What are you looking for with a CT?
Evaluate
- Size
- Shape
- Atelectasis
- Border
- Density
- Solid vs non solid
- Dynamic contrast enhancement >25 HU
- Growth
Pulmonary mass
An opacity in lung over 3cm with no mediastinal adenopathy or atelectasis
Pulmonary nodule
An opacity in lung up to 3cm with no mediastinal adenopathy or atelectasis
What can pulmonary masses/nodules in the lung mean?
- Lung cancer
- Metastasis
- Benign lung neoplasm
- Infection bacterial, tuberculosis or fungal
- Vascular haematoma
When diagnosing based on scans what should you bear in mind?
- Clinical history
- Compare with previous films
