대한흉부영상의학회 Korean Society of Thoracic Radiology

Discussion

Diagnosis With Brief Discussion

Diagnosis

Squamous cell lung cancer (with cystic lung to lung metastasis)

Radiologic Findings

Brief Review

Squamous cell carcinoma is located most frequently in a segmental or lobar bronchus. Frequently, the tumor invades the submucosal and peribronchial connective tissue at the same time as it extends into the airway lumen. Airway obstruction is almost invariable in this circumstance; as a consequence, distal atelectasis and obstructive pneumonitis are present to some degree in most cases at presentation. Central necrosis is frequent and often extensive; drainage of necrotic material leads to cavitation in many cases. Cavity formation can be categorized into three different types: 1) central necrosis of the neoplasm, 2) a lung abscess distal to an obstructing neoplasm. 3) cavitary abscesses elsewhere in the lungs, presumably resulting from spill-over of purulent material from segmental pneumonitis and abscess formation elsewhere. Most of these cavities are thick-walled, resembling acute lung abscesses. The inner surface is usually irregular as a result of variably sized nodules of neoplastic tissue projecting into the cavity and of the patchy nature of the necrosis. Cavitation may be central or eccentric, 1 to 10 cm in diameter, with walls 0.5 to 3.0 cm thick. Occasionally, the cavity walls can be extremely thin, simulating a bulla or bronchial cyst.

References

Keywords

Lung, Malignant tumor, metastasis, Squamous cell lung cancer (with cystic lung to lung metastasis)