Discussion
Diagnosis With Brief Discussion
- Diagnosis
- Case of Multifocal BAC
- Radiologic Findings
- CT scans shows multifocal lobular and geographic ground glass opacity and consolidation in both lungs. Air bronchograms are well visualized within the consolidations.
Some nodules are also depicted.
These finding show no significant interval changes for 2 months.
- Brief Review
- Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma represents 1.5%-6.5% of all primary pulmonary neoplasm. As with other adenocarcinomas, the prevalence of BAC is relatively high in women (30%-50% of BAC occur in women). Only 255-50% if patients with BAC have a history of heavy smoking. More than half of all patients with BAC are asymptomatic. The most frequent symptoms and signs are cough, sputum, shortness of breath, weight loss, hemoptysis, and fever (1).
According to the classification of the WHO, bronchioloalveolar carcinoma is a subtype of adenocarcinoma. BAC can be defined as a peripheral neoplasm, arising beyond a recognizable
bronchus, with a tendency to spread locally using the lung structure as a stroma (lepidic growth). BAC can be classified into two main types: mucinous (80%) and nonmucinous. Mucinous BAC is more likely to be multicentric and has s worse prognosis than nonmucinous BAC (1).
Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma appears radiographically as a single nodule, segmental or lobar consolidation, or diffuse nodules. At computed tomography (CT), the single nodular form appears
as a peripheral nodule or localized ground-glass attenuation with or without consolidation, frequently associated with bubblelike areas of low attenuation and open bronchus signs. The lobar consolidative form may demonstrate the CT angiogram and open bronchus signs. The diffuse nodular form appears as multiple nodules or areas of ground-glass attenuation or consolidation (1).
The radiological feature that distinguishes BAC from other cell types is the demonstration of multifocal and lobar pneumonic opacities. The consolidative form of BAC accounts for approximately 30% of all BAC and corresponds to a mucinous histological subtype. Non-resolving central or peripheral consolidation, especially with associated nodules, raises the possibility of BAC. The stretching, attenuation, sweeping and widening of branching air-filled bronchi within an area of consolidation on CT favor the diagnosis of BAC (2).
- References
- 1. Lee KS, Kim Y, Han J, et al. Brochioloalveolar carcinoma: clinical, histopathologic, and radiologic findings. Radiographics 1997;17:1345-1357
2. D Patsios, H C Roberts, N S Paul, et al. Pictorial review of the many faces of brochioloalveolar cell carcinoma. BJR 2007;80:1015-1023
- Keywords
- Lung, Malignant tumor, BAC