ANALYSIS OF RADIOLOGICAL SIGNS IN 125 CASES OF PERIPHERAL PULMONARY CARCINOMA

The roentgenological manifestations in 125 cases of peripheral pulmonary carcinoma with size smaller or equal to 3 cm were analyzed , among them squamous cell carcinoma was found in 36 cases , ad)enocarcinoma 79 (including alveolar carcinoma 13), small cell carcinoma 4, carcinoid 3, combined small and squamous cell carcinoma 1 and unclassified 2 . The shapes of lesions were nodular in 112 cases (89.6%) and infiltrative in 13(10.4%) .Most nodules were lobulated (85:7%), 6 cases of 1 - 1.5 cm in size were all lobulateb. Another diagnostic sign was the hazy anb shaggy margins of the tumor, which was found in 74.1%, 116 cases were resected , in which 28 cases (24.1%) had metastases to the lymph nodes. Both hilar and mediastinal metastasized nodes were found in 10 cases, hilar nodes only in 12. and mediastinal nodes only in 6 . Besides, 3 cases with superclavicular lymphatic metastases were not included herein. The doubling time (DT) of cancers was calculated in 28 cases, ranging from 12-860 days with a median value of 85 days. The DT was less than 320 days, in 85% cases and more than 370 day s in 3 cases. Early radiological signs of peripheral lung cancer were also discussed.