Clinical application of helical CT virtual bronchoscope in patients with central lung cancer

Objective To investigate the evaluation of CT virtual bronchoscopy(CTVB) in diagnosing central lung cancer.Methods Three healthy volunteers and 41 patients with central lung cancer were examined with multirow helical CT.The pictures data were translated via the workstation into the real-time virtual bronchoscopic pictures by reconstruction.The results of CTVB were compared with the findings in fiberoptic bronchoscopy(FOB),operation and the pathologic results. Results The findings of tracheal wall, lesions in lumen and tracheal lumen from CT virtual bronchoscopy were similar to the results of FOB. Furthemore,CTVB was better in revealing the distant broncheal obstruction. 3 healthy people had normal findings in CTVB as those in FOB. 41 patients had a total of 52 abnormal FOB findings.The overall sensitivity of CTVB was 84%.The sensitivities of CTVB for the detection of obstructive,endoluminal and mucosal lesions were 100%,89% and 0% respectively. 7 lesions were found by CTVB,which were not by FOB.Conclusion CTVB is an important noninvasive technique in diagnosing central lung cancer.