Radiological evaluation of pulmonary metastasis

158 cases of pulmonary metastasis having satisfactory histological proof of the primary malignant tumour, the frequency and pattern of which were analyzed by conventional radiological approaches at Presbyterian Medical Center from Jan. 1978 to Dec. 1982, were evaluated radiologically. The results are as follows: 1. The frequency of pulmonary metastasis according to the primary sites was 24% (38/158) hepatobility system, 19.6% (31/158) gastrointestinal tract, 18.9% (30/158) uterine cervix and 12% (13/158) head and neck. 2. Pulmonary metastasis pattern showed nodular type 74% (117/158), granular type 10.1% (16/158), streaky type 9.5% (15/158), hilar enlargement 3.8% (6/158), patchy type 1.9% (3/158) and others 0.6% (1/158). Of all these type, nodular type was predominant. 3. The nodular type of pulmonary metastasis was classified into less than 10 nodules 56.4% (66/17), 10-50 nodules 25.6% (30/117), more than 50, 17.9% (21/117). 4. The size of nodular was 1-3 cm 36.6% (43/117), 2-3 cm 20.5% (24/117) less than 1 cm 12.8% (15/117) and more than 5 cm in 5.2% (1/117) of the cases. 5. Most cases of pulmonary metastasis involved both lung fields 69.6% (110/58). Others were right lung field only 17.7% (28/158), left lung only 12.7% (20/158). 6. The age between 40 and 79 represented 79.8% (126/158) of the cases and the ratio of male and female was about 1.5 : 1.