Prognosis of small adenocarcinoma of the lung based on thin-section computed tomography and pathological preparations

Objective: We investigated the relationship between findings from tumor opacity in the mediastinal window image and solid lesions in pathological preparations and related the results to tumor recurrence. Methods: The subjects were 115 patients with a lung adenocarcinoma of 20 mm or smaller who underwent surgical resection. The proportion of the reduction in the tumor opacity in the mediastinal window image maximum diameter to the maximum diameter of the tumor opacity was calculated as the reduction percentage, and the proportion of the maximum solid lesions in pathological preparation diameter to the maximum tumor diameter was calculated as the pathological ratio. Results: The incidence of relapse was significantly higher in patients with a reduction percentage of less than 50% and in patients with a pathological ratio of less than 50%. Conclusions: Measurement of the reduction percentage and the pathological ratio may allow prediction of prognosis of small adenocarcinoma of the lung.