Air bronchogram: A reliable sign in peripheral lung cancer(diameter≤2 cm) by CT diagnosis

Objective:To investigate the diagnosis value of air bronchogram judged by CT(computerized tomography) in early peripheral lung cancer(diameter≤2 cm).Methods:Comparing the diagnosis results of thin section CT with that of pathology,95 nodules(75 malignant nodules and 20 benign nodules) in 75 patients were studied by retrospective analysis.Results:The results of thin section CT showed that air bronchogram was detected in 20 malignant nodules which total number were 75.The malignant nodules with air bronchogram were detected only in alveolar carcinoma,adenocarcinoma and squamous carcinoma,and there were much more nodules with air bronchogram in alveolar carcinoma and adenocarcinoma than that in squamous carcinoma,the differences were significant.Conclusion:That peripheral small nodule with air bronchogram is a significant sign of early peripheral lung cancer,which could give us tips to judge the histologic types of early peripheral lung cancer.