Learning objectives
to review the spectrum of imaging findings of pulmonary metastatic disease.
To illustrate the spectrum of diseases that may mimic metastatic lung involvement in oncology patients.
Background
The development of pulmonary metastases in patients with known malignancies indicates disseminated disease and places the patient in end stage disease.
This typically implies an adverse prognosis and imaging studies plays an important role in the screening and detection of pulmonary metastases,
to improve clinical management.
Computed tomography (CT) is the first imaging modality in detecting pulmonary metastases.
Most frequently,
the classic appearance of hematogenous metastases or lymphangitic carcinomatosis and clinical history of malignant disease allow confident diagnosis.
Sometimes,
however,
metastatic spread presents atypical radiologic...
Imaging findings OR procedure details
Typical radiologic findings include:
-multiple rounded nodules:the presence of multiple soft tissue nodules (hematogenous metastases) is the most common radiologic finding of pulmonary metastasis.
Nodules tend to be round or oval,
or they may have lobulated contours.
They usually have smooth and sharply defined margins,
however,
poorly defined or irregular.
The size and number of nodules vary greatly from miliary metastases 1-4mm small,
numerous,
same sized nodules (Fig.
1 A,B),
to cannon- ball metastases (fewer,
large,
well defined masses); their distinction from nonmalignant pulmonary disease...
Conclusion
knowledge of the radiologic features of a pulmonary metastasis is essential for correct diagnosisallows the distinction of metastases from other nonmalignant pulmonary diseases.
References
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Rosado-de-Christenson,Christopher M.
Walker,Jeffery R.
Kunin,Sonia L.
Betancourt,Brenda L.
Shoup,Paul P.
PettavelImaging Features of Thoracic Metastases from Gynecologic Neoplasms; Radiographics2014;34:1742–1754.
·Collins J,
Stern E.
Ground-Glass Opacity at CT: The ABCs AJR 1997;169:355-367
·Gaeta M et al.
Air-space pattern in lung metastasis from adenocarcinoma of the GI tract.J Comput Assist Tomogr.
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·Ohta Y et al.
Pathologic and Biological Assessment of Lung Tumors Showing Ground-Glass Opacity Ann Thorac...