[Current role of conventional tomography in the staging of pulmonary neoplasms. Reflections based on the comparison of tomography-magnetic resonance in 81 cases].

The preoperative conventional tomographic and Magnetic Resonance images were reviewed of 81 patients affected with bronchogenic carcinoma; all patients underwent surgery 1986 to 1988. Radiological findings were compared with surgical and pathological results to evaluate the actual role of conventional tomography in the staging of bronchogenic carcinoma. MR Imaging proved to be more useful in the evaluation of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. As for mediastinal node status, conventional tomography had 23.5% sensitivity, 90.6% specificity, and 76.5% overall accuracy; MR Imaging had 82.3% sensitivity, 84.4% specificity, and 84% overall accuracy. As for hilar adenopathies, tomographic sensitivity, specificity and overall accuracy were 53.3%, 72.5%, and 65.4% versus 50%, 82.3% and 70.4% with MR Imaging. Tomography was slightly superior in identifying the primary tumor (97.5% versus 92.6% for MR), as well as in the demonstration of central bronchial involvement (100% for conventional tomography versus 50% for MR Imaging). Conventional tomography is useful as a complementary technique to MR Imaging in the preoperative staging of bronchogenic carcinoma when information on central bronchial involvement is needed.