Diagnostic utility of chest wall vessel involvement sign on ultra-high-resolution CT for primary lung cancer infiltrating the chest wall.

OBJECTIVES

Chest wall infiltration in primary lung cancer affects the surgical and therapeutic strategies. This study evaluates the efficacy of the chest wall vessel involvement in subpleural lung cancer (CWVI)　on ultra-high-resolution CT (UHR-CT) for detecting chest wall invasion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis of lung cancer cases with confirmed pleural and chest wall invasion was conducted from November 2019 to April 2022. Seventy-seven patients (mean ± standard deviation age 70 ± 8 years, 64 males) who underwent preoperative contrast-enhanced UHR-CT were included. They were grouped into 51 non-chest wall infiltration (pl1 and pl2) and 26 chest wall infiltration (pl3). Clinical, histopathological, and UHR-CT findings were reviewed.

RESULTS

Upper lobe tumors exhibited a higher chest wall invasion rate (p < 0.001). Rib destruction was evident in five patients with chest wall invasion but none with pleural invasion (p < 0.001). CWVI was present in 19 of 26 patients with chest wall invasion and 2 of 51 patients with pleural invasion (p < 0.001). The maximum tumor diameter (Dmax), arch distance which means the interface length between the primary tumor and the chest wall (Adist), and the ratio of Dmax to Adist were higher in chest wall invasion cases (all p < 0.001). After excluding patients with rib destruction, in multivariate logistic regression analysis, only CWVI was a significant predictor for chest wall invasion (odds ratio 29.22 (95% confidence interval 9.13-262.90), p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

CWVI on UHR-CT can help diagnose lung cancer infiltrating the chest wall, offering a potential tool for clinical decision-making.

KEY POINTS

Question Chest wall infiltration in primary lung cancer has implications for the treatment plan, but diagnosis is often difficult with conventional CT. Findings Chest wall vessel involvement in subpleural lung cancer on ultra-high-resolution CT is a valuable predictor for diagnosing chest wall infiltration. Clinical relevance The delineation of chest wall vessels with contrast-enhanced ultra-high-resolution CT may improve the diagnosis of chest wall infiltration and allow accurate staging and optimal treatment options for subpleural primary lung cancer.