The definition and delineation of lymph nodes regions of lung cancer on CT transections
- VernacularTitle:CT横断面上肺癌淋巴引流区域的界定及勾画
- Author:
Yong BAO
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
non-small-cell lung cancer;
lymph node;
CT scan;
delineation;
radiotherapy
- From:
China Oncology
2000;0(06):-
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Background and purpose:Patients with lung cancer often have metastases to the mediastinal and/or hilar lymph node.Three dimensional conformal radiation therapy(3-DCRT) has been used for the treatment of lung cancer.The delineation of the lymph nodes metastasis based on CT transections may be variable from doctor to doctor.It is necessary to standardize the definition of lymph nodes regions on CT scans.Methods:Retrospective studies were performed with the enhanced CT scans and/or PET/CT imaging of patients with NSCLC before treatment from November 2004 to November 2005.A series of thoracic enhanced CT scans from a middle stature female was selected as the model.Positive mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes were marked as red points on the CT model according to its relative position.Based on standardized definition of regional lymph nodes and the actual metastasized regional nodes on the images,the boundaries were delineated by Adobe Photoshop CS software and the metastasized regional lymph nodes were delineated on the Exomio 2.0 system.Results:Forty patients with enhanced CT data were enrolled in this study.Ten cases also underwent PET/CT examination.There were 278 positive lymph nodes that were detected and marked on the CT model.We defined the boundaries of regional lymph nodes of Group 1-2R,1-2L,3A,3P,4R,4L,5,6,7,8,10-11R and 10-11L,and delineated the above regional lymph nodes on template of CT model.Conclusions:Clear definition of mediastinal and hilar lymph region boundaries on CT images provides guidelines for the clinical staging of lung cancer and the contouring nodal drainage for 3-DCRT.It is essential to make target volumes more repeatable with good conformity in contour for conformal irradiation,which would benefit the clinical diagnosis,staging and therapy of lung cancer.
