HRCT vascular sign research in tiny ground glass nodules-like lung adenocarcinoma / 实用放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study classification of vascular sign of tiny ground glass nodules-like lung adenocarcinoma in HRCT, and explore its value to differentiate benign from malignant of the ground glass nodules(GGN).Methods 87 patients with tiny ground glass nodules-like lung adenocarcinoma examined on HRCT were retrospectively evaluated.According to the new pathological classification standard of lung adenocarcinoma,they were divided into three groups(1)pre-invasive group(n=25),including 14 cases of atypical adenomatous hyperplasia(AAH)and 11 cases of adenocarcinoma in situ(AIS);(2)minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA)group(n=35);(3)invasive adenocarcinoma(IAC)group(n=27).The lesions were divided into three types according to the grinding of glass composition proportionType A,pure ground glass nodules(pGGN);Type B,mixed ground glass nodules (mGGN)which contained glass composition≥50%;Type C,mGGN which contained glass composition < 50%.The vascular sign of GGN were divided into four typesType 1,without vessels passing through the GGN,or vessels passing by GGN;Type 2,intact vessels passing through GGN,but vascular morphology is normal;Type 3,single vessels passing through GGN,and distorted,stiff vessels seen within GGN;Type 4,two or more vessels passing through GGN,and branches between vessels formed in GGN,and the diameter of vessel was irregular,partial enlargement.The relationship among the size of the GGN,content of the grinding of glass proportion and the vascular sign of GGN were analyzed both in axial images and reconstruction images.Results There were significant differences in size among the three groups(P=0.032,P=0.000,P=0.000).There were significant differences between content of the grinding of glass proportion and classification of vascular sign of GGN(P=0.000).Type 1 and type 2 vascular sign were dominant in the infiltrating former group,a total of 24 cases(96%).The incidence of type 3 and type 4 vascular sign in MIA group and IAC group was 60% and 74% respectively,and there were significant differences with the infiltrating former group(P=0.000,0.000).Further analysis indicated that type 3 was more commonly seen in MIA with comparison to type 4 which was more likely seen in IAC,the difference was statistically significant(P=0.043).Conclusion To study HRCT vascular sign of tiny ground glass nodules-like lung adenocarcinoma can improve the ability of the GGN benign and malignant diagnosis,provide reliable basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment.