J Korean Radiol Soc.  1994 Sep;31(3):483-487.

Pulmonary Consolidation Pattern on the Chest CT: Malignant vs Benign

• Choi SH
• Kang JH
• Moon JH
• Ahn JW
• Kim O

Abstract

PURPOSE
It is not easy to determine the cause of pulmonary consolidative lesion. Even without any definite mass, malignancy cannot be ruled out. And sometimes, it is difficult to differentiate tuberculosis from pneumonia. To differentiate malignant consolidative lesion from benign one, we studied patterns of air bronchogram, mucoid impaction, and computed tomographic anglogram etc.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fifty seven cases of pulmonary consolidative lesions(23 cases of malignancy,34 cases of benign lesion) were retrospectively reviewed by three radiologists.
RESULTS
Among the 28 cases which showed a little air bronchogram(less than 1/3 of the whole lesion in volumetric measure with the eye) 19 cases were malignancy and nine cases were benign lesions. All of the 12 cases which showed profound air bronchogram over 2/3 of the whole lesion were benign lesions. Bronchiectasis was detected in 31 cases(four of malignancy and 27 of benign lesions). Among the 20 cases which didn't show the mucoid impaction five cases were malignancy and 15 cases were benign lesions. Out of eight cases with mucoid impaction filling the long segments(branching tree shape), seven cases were malignancy and one case was benign lesion. So called CT anglogram was detected in nine cases of malignancy and two cases of benign lesions. All of nine cases of malignancy showed CT anglogram which was like arborizing tree.
CONCLUSION
Scanty air bronchogram, profound arborizing mucoid impaction and/or CT angoigram within consolidative lesion could suggest malignancy.

MeSH Terms

Bronchiectasis
Pneumonia
Retrospective Studies
Thorax*
Tomography, X-Ray Computed*
Tuberculosis