The Diagnostic Value of Bronchography in Bronchogenic Carcinoma

원발성폐암(原發性肺癌)에 있어서 기관지조영(氣管支造影)의 진단적(診斷的) 가치(價値)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究)

In the presence of clinical evidence and chest roentgenogram suggestive of bronchogenic carcinoma, reliance is almost wholly placed on Papanicolaou staining of the sputum, bronchoscopy, and biopsy of peripheral lesion, together referred to as the "diagnostic triad". However, bronchography remains relatively non-utilized. Our experience with 56 bronchograms in which the modality of bronchial obstruction, distance to obstruction and reduction rate of caliber in leading bronchus were used in an attempt to explain underlying chest pathology and operability of bronchogenic carcinoma, indicated as follows: 1. The bronchographic findings in bronchogenic cancer consist of malignant bronchial obstruction in which the modality of obstruction is classified as abrupt type, conical type and compressed type in incidence of 50.0%, 23.2% and 26.8%, respectively. 2. Abrupt type of bronchial obstruction is more common in hilar type and particularly in squamous cell and undifferentiated cell type of bronchogenic cancer. In this type of obstruction the inoperability revealed in 57.8% and resectability in 17.8%. 3. Conical type of obstruction was a sign of most malignancy, in which 61.5% was undifferentiated cell type and 38.4% was squamous cell type. All this type of obstruction was inoperable even feasibility was presumed in simple roentgenograms. 4. Compressed type of obstruction was more common in peripheral type of bronchogenic cancer and showed 50.0% of resectability. 5. The distance from carina to bronchial obstuction revealed average 3.8cm in undifferentiated type, 5.76cm in squamous cell type and 7.60am in adeno cell type of carcinoma. 6. The reduction rate of caliber in leading bronchus to obstruction (mm per unit cm lenghth of leading bronchus) revealed average 2.15mm/cm in undifferentiated type 1.90mm/cm in squamous cell type and 1.13mm/cm in adeno cell type of carcnoma. 7. The reduction rate of caliber in leading bronchus showed 2.14mm/cm in inoperable cases and 1.42mm/cm in resectable cases. 8. The modality of bronchial obstruction and estimation of the reduction rate of caliber seemed to be a most reliable key-point to decide feasibility of resection.