Radiology, Vol 156, 761-765, Copyright © 1985 by Radiological Society of North America
Paratracheal lymphadenopathy: radiographic findings and correlation with CT
NL Muller, WR Webb and G Gamsu
Possible signs of paratracheal lymphadenopathy on the posteroanterior (PA)
chest radiograph were assessed in 98 patients and correlated with computed
tomography (CT). The nodes were normal in size in 62 patients and enlarged
(greater than 15 mm) in 36. Among the latter group, widening of the right
paratracheal stripe was seen in 11 (31%) and enlargement of the azygos node
in 15 (42%). While the lateral contour of the superior vena cava (SVC) was
convex in 46 patients (47%), 81 (83%) had an increased density in the
region of the SVC. When all four parameters were combined, lymphadenopathy
could be detected on the PA view in 87 patients (89%). CT demonstrated that
the enlarged nodes were anterolateral rather than directly lateral to the
trachea and also immediately posterior to the SVC, explaining the findings
on the PA radiograph.
