BACKGROUNDTo investigate the relationship among the CT appearances, the dynamic CT enhancement and the microvessel density (MVD) of peripheral lung cancer.

METHODSThirty-three patients with peripheral lung cancer proved by surgery and pathology underwent enhancement dynamic CT scan before operation, including 14 squamous cell carcinoma and 19 adenocarcinoma. The MVD was measured in resected tumor specimens with immunohistochemical method of LSAB.

RESULTSThe MVD value of adenocarcinoma was significantly higher than that of squamous cell carcinoma (63.4±11.9 versus 50.2±16.3, P < 0.05). The MVD values were higher in junction zone and interstitial areas than those in parenchymal areas, necrotic zones and scar areas of tumors. There were significant relationships among the MVD value and diameter of tumor, lobulation sign, vessel convergence sign, pleural retraction sign and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05 ). The mean enhanced CT values was (43.4±11.8) HU in adenocarcinomas, and (34.6±10.7) HU in squamous cell carcinomas (P < 0.05). The CT values of both adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma had positive correlations to their corresponding MVD values (r=0.719, P < 0.01;r=0.819, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe CT appearances and the enhanced CT values of peripheral lung carcinomas are closely related to their MVD values, which might be an indicator to identify the histological classification and to predict the malignant degree of tumor.