Differentiation Of Lung Masses With Radiodensity Determined Contrast Enhanced Computed Tomography

ABSTRACT

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death in both males and females. The disease has a poor prognosis with an overall 5-year mortality rate of approximately 84% (1). Twenty patients with lung cancer, 25 with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and 5 with inflammatory lung pseudotumors diagnosed by CTand confirmed by pathology in our hospital were selected. There were no significant differences in the radiodensities of the masses detected by plain CTamong patients with lung cancer, TB and inflammatory lung pseudotumors (P> 0.05). However, there were significant differences (P< 0.01) between all the groups in terms of radiodensities of masses detected by contrast enhanced CT. The radiodensities of lung masses detected by contrast enhanced CTcould potentially be used to differentiate between lung cancer, pulmonary TB and inflammatory lung pseudotumors.