[The role of CT and MR imaging in the diagnosis of lung cancer].

CT and MR imaging can play an important role in the diagnosis of lung cancer. Evaluation of a solitary pulmonary nodule is usually carried out using CT. High-resolution CT is useful in the morphologic diagnosis of a solitary pulmonary nodule. The enhancement characteristics of a pulmonary nodule in contrast-enhancement CT can be a method of distinguishing benign and malignant nodules. MR imaging is superior to CT in contrast resolution and multidirectional imaging capability. Contrast-enhancement MR imaging can describe the enhancement characteristics of the pulmonary lesion better than contrast-enhancement CT. The extent of chest wall and mediastinal invasion of lung cancer can be better shown using MR imaging than CT.