PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the significance of obliteration of the pulmonary vein in assessing local extent of @entity2 with CT, particularly in regard to intrapericardial extension of @entity5 through the vein. METHOD: Preoperative CT scans of 325 @entity1 , who underwent thoracotomy for primary @entity2 , were reviewed. Among them, CT scans of 19 @entity1 showed obliteration of the pulmonary vein up to its entrance into the left atrium, without filling defect in the left atrium. Surgical records of these @entity1 were then reviewed to investigate the extent of @entity5 growth through the pulmonary vein, with particular emphasis on intrapericardial extension. RESULTS: The surgical records revealed extension of @entity5 through the pulmonary vein beyond the pericardial reflection in 14 or 19 @entity1 . In 10 @entity1 showing obliteration of either the left of the right superior pulmonary vein, all @entity5 extended beyond the pericardial reflection (100%). Intrapericardial extension occurred in four of nine @entity1 showing obliteration of either the left or the right inferior pulmonary vein (44%). The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: When assessing local extent of @entity2 with CT, obliteration of the superior pulmonary vein is a highly suggestive finding for intrapericardial extension of @entity5 through the pulmonary vein. On the contrary, obliteration of the inferior pulmonary vein is believed to be a less reliable finding for intrapericardial extension of @entity2 .

Obliteration of the XXXX : significance in assessing local extent with CT.

@entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['tumor', 'tumors'] @entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity2 :: ('MESH:D008175', 'Disease') :: ['lung cancer']
@entity2 :: (MESH:D008175,Disease) :: ['pulmonary vein in lung cancer']
