Radiographic manifestations of inoperable primary bronchogenic carcinoma

Bronchogenic carcinoma should be a topic of paramount importance to all who interpret chest radiographs because of its increasing incidence. For several decades the disease has been underestimated in the developing world. A prospective study was carried out on 52 patients (43 males, 9 females) with primary bronchogenic carcinoma at Oncology Teaching Hospital/Medical City-Baghdad from October 2016 to March 2017. All patients had standard plain chest radiographs (postero-anterior, and lateral views). Any abnormality detected was further studied with conventional tomography. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology examinations for all patients who were clinically evaluated by other methods of investigations. Most patients had more than one radiological feature which were mainly pulmonary masses, either hilar or peripheral or both at the same time. Other less common features were; mediastinal adenopathy (27%), atelactasis (25%) and pleural effusion (21%). Radiological signs that determine inoperability were evaluated together with other factors that were used as basic principles in the assessment of inoperability. From the total of fifty-two patients; 45 (86.5%) were inoperable radiologically and clinically, and also 4 patients (57%) out of the 7 who underwent thoracotomy were inoperable due to invasion and adhesion to the vessels and other vital structures. The chest radiograph is still important, cheap and available diagnostic procedure in lung cancer, and to decide further management.