CT value and evaluation in the TNM staging for lung cancer / 中国癌症杂志

ABSTRACT

In order to achieve correct diagnosis of lung cancer for therapeutic planning, it is important to apply the new international TNM staging system. CT can be helpful in diagnosis and staging of lung cancer with regard to evaluation of the primary tumor and mediastinal lymph nodes and in the search for sites of distant metastasis. Therefore, CT is the most important supplementary examination for lung cancer, which can give further observation of the invading standard of large bronchus, vessels, lymph nodes and pleura, which might provide more valuable information for TNM staging.PET CT image fusion permits superior localization of lung cancer. The relation between anatomic and metabolic volume is more complex. Combined PET/CT and image fusion will improve the TNM classification in preoperative staging of lung cancer which may result as the best non invasive method.