BRONCHIOLOALVEOLAR CARCINOMA - CLINICAL HISTOPATHOLOGIC, AND RADIOLOGIC FINDINGS

Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma is characterized pathologically by a pulm onary neoplasm showing lepidic growth. More than half of all patients with bronchioloalveolar carcinoma are asymptomatic. The most frequent symptoms and signs are cough, sputum, shortness of breath, weight loss , hemoptysis, and fever, Bronchorrhea is unusual and a late manifestat ion. Nonmucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma tends to be more localiz ed and has a lower frequency of bronchogenic spread than mucinous bron chioloalveolar carcinoma. Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma appears radiogr aphically as a single nodule, segmental or lobar consolidation, or dif fuse nodules. At computed tomography (CT), the single nodular form app ears 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 f orm may demonstrate the CT angiogram and open bronchus signs. The diff use nodular form appears as multiple nodules or areas of ground-glass attenuation or consolidation. The single nodular form has a better pro gnosis than the others but may show false-negative results for maligna ncy at 2-(fluorine-18) fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomo graphy.