Lung carcinoma.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States. Imaging is helpful in the diagnosis of peripheral lung cancers and in the staging of lung neoplasms. CT may establish the benign nature of a solitary pulmonary nodule by detecting either benign types of calcification or fat. Contrast enhancement is a new and innovative method that can be used to distinguish benign from malignant peripheral lung lesions. Both CT and MR play important roles in the preoperative staging of lung carcinoma. Both have significant limitations, however, and surgical staging is often required.