Radiology, Vol 156, 111-115, Copyright © 1985 by Radiological Society of North America
Carcinomatous involvement of the hilum and mediastinum: computed tomographic and magnetic resonance evaluation
RT Heelan, N Martini, JW Westcott, MS Bains, RC Watson, JF Caravelli, YM Berkmen, CI Henschke, PM McCormack and BC McCaughan
Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and computed tomography (CT) were compared
in 20 patients who had primary lung tumors, and the results were correlated
with findings at surgery and pathologic evaluation. Both studies
demonstrated a similar ability to detect hilar and mediastinal tumor. MR
imaging detected more enlarged nodes in the mediastinum, but in several
patients these enlarged nodes did not contain tumor. Consequently, MR
imaging has a slightly higher false- positive rate in the evaluation of the
mediastinum. Both modalities were highly sensitive, with specificity
limited by the presence of enlarged benign lymph nodes in this series of
patients.
