Evaluation of blood supply of pulmonary metastasis by using bronchial artery angiography

Objective To evaluate the blood supply of pulmonary metastasis by using bronchial artery angiography. Methods Thirty five patients[man 25, female 10, average age(52.5 ± 14.3)y]with lung metastasis were enrolled in this study. Among them, 15 cases had primary liver cancer ,7 cases with primary gastric cancer, 6 of intestinal cancer and 7 cases with other kinds of cancer. Thirty five patients totally had 97 metastatic lesions[mean diameter(3.2 ± 1.2)cm]. Bronchial artery angiography was performed in all cases, and pulmonary artery angiography was done for 16 noduls of 5 cases . The bronchial arterial blood supply of the pulmonary metastasis was assessed according to the sites, the pathologic type and the volume of matastasis. Results The distribution of 97 nodules in 35 cases in the lung had no statistically significans. Seventy in 97 nodules(72%)were hypervascular or moderate blood supply. The blood supply of pulmonary matastasis increases proportionately in sites from middle to inner zones of the lung, but without any tumor stain apacified from pulmanary arterial-graphy except the peripheral region of tumor as even none. The blood supply of bronchial artery to the metastasis showed no correlation with the size of matastasis, but to the pathologic type of the neoplasm. Conclusion Bronchial artery is the major feeding vessel to the pulmanary metastasis,but those in the peripheral region of the lung may receive some from the pulmanary artery or even none.