CT Findings of Bronchioloalveolar Carcinoma

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We studied CT findings of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma that manifestated varied clinical and radiologic characteristics. MATERIALS & METHODS: We studied presenting radiographic patterns and their characteristics and secondary findings of histologically proven 30 cases of bronchioloalveolar carcinomas on chest CT scan. RESULTS: Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma appeared radiologically as a solitary nodule(19 cases), consolidation (7 cases), and multinodules(4 cases). A solitary nodular type shows irregular or spiculated borders, peripheral or subpleural location, heterogenous density, pleural tags, pseudocavitation, and sometimes rim-enhancement of mass. A consolidation type shows air-brochogram, pseudocavitation and CT anglogram within homogenous low attenuated consolidated lung. Hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy as secondary findings of bronchioloalveolar carcioma appeared frequently(43.3%). Even in a solitary nodular form, hilar & mediastinal lymphadenopathy was noted in 36.8% and follow-up study in 6 cases showed lung-to-lung metastasis with 14.7 months in mean metastasis duration. CONCLUSION: It is difficulty in diagnosis of bronchioloalveolar carcioma with clinical or plain radiographic features alone because of theis variability. We found that CT scan can help the diagnosis of this tumor. We also found out that a solitary form of bronchioloalveolar carcioma as well as diffuse form does not have a good prognosis.