RESUMEN
Objective To discuss the clinical application of C-arm CT in guiding Hook-wire localization of solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) before video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).Methods The clinical data of 51 patients with SPN (51 lesions in total),who received C-arm CT-guided Hook-wire localization before VATS during the period from January 2011 to December 2015 at authors' hospital,were retrospectively analyzed.The technical success rate,the time spent for localization,the incidence of complications,the rate of VATS conversion to thoracotomy,the average size of SPN,the distance between SPN and visceral pleura,and the pathological findings were documented.Results The technical success rate of preoperative C-arm CT-guided Hook-wire localization was 100％.The mean time spent for localization was 16 minutes.Asymptomatic pneumothorax occurred in 4 patients (7.8％) and asymptomatic hemorrhage in 11 patients (21.6％).Intraoperative dislodgement of the hook-wire was seen in one patient (2.0％).The average size of SPN was 10.7 mm.The mean distance between SPN and visceral pleura was 25.3 mm,and the puncturing depth (the length from skin to pulmonary nodule) was 66.7 mm.Pathological examination revealed that 60.8％ of the 51 SPNs were malignant.Conclusion Preoperative C-arm CT-guided Hook-wire localization of SPN before VATS is an accurate,safe and fast technique.This technique is an efficient means to guide the puncturing,and it has high application value in clinical practice.