Bronchial arterial and pulmonary arterial multi-slice CT angiography:evaluation of blood supply of lung cancer

Objective To further evaluate the blood supply of lung cancer using bronchial arterial and pulmonary arterial multi-slice CT angiography (BA-MSCTA, PA-MSCTA). Methods PA-MSCTA and BA-MSCTA were performed on 16 patients with primary lung cancer after digital subtraction angiography of bronchial artery and pulmonary artery (BA-DSA, PA-DSA). Blood supply of the lung cancer from bronchial artery or pulmonary artery was assessed. Results No hypertrophic tumor vessel or tumor stain was observed within tumor on either PA-MSCTA or PA-DSA. While on both BA-DSA and BA-MSCTA, diffuse tumor vessels and tumor stains were observed in all the cases. PA-MSCTA clearly demonstrated the inside of the masses and their relationship with PA. On BA-MSCTA, partial defects of tumor vessel and tumor stain were observed in 5 cases, and hilar and(or) mediastinal lymph node enhancement was shown in 7 cases. In three of the four cases in which lymph nodes enhancement were seen on BA-DSA, more lymph nodes enhancement were seen on BA-MSCTA. Conclusion MSCTA is a better way for the evaluation of blood supply of lung cancer. By using MSCTA, it is further demonstrated that PA does not supply the primary lung cancer, but multiple systemic blood supply should be noticed.