Thin-section Computed Tomography Analysis of Resected Small Lung Cancers Measurig Less than 6 mm in Diameter

Five cases of resected small lung cancer less than 6 mm in diameter were examined retrospectively to evaluate their clinical features and roentgeno-pathological correlations. The five patients consisted of two males and three females with well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. Abnormal shadows were detected on all CT screenings but the plain chest X-ray images were negative in all cases. The conventional CT images revealed airdensity lesions in all cases. The thin-section CT images, however, revealed air-density lesions with irregular margins in three and vascular involvement in all cases. We conclude that small lung cancers showed specific characteristics on the thin-section CT images. The thin-section CT is useful in differentiating small lung cancers by revealing internal air spaces, irregular margins and vascular involvement.