Demonstration and detective ability evaluation for bronchial artery by using enhanced MSCT

Objective: To investigate the ability of enhanced MSCT in the demonstration and detection of bronchial arteries. Methods: One hundred and one cases were examined with thin-slice enhanced MSCT. The data were grouped by the arterial origin and pathway entering into the lung, and the inner diameter of the bronchial artery was measured. Results: In 101 cases altogether, MSCT scanning showed 79 right bronchial arteries and 83 left bronchial arteries. 2 bronchial arteries were detected on the left side in 13 cases and on the right side in 12 cases; 3 bronchial arteries were detected on the left side in 1 case. 35 right bronchial arteries co-originated with the intercostals arteries, and only 1 co-originated on the left side. Co-originated left and right side bronchial arteries were detected in 23 cases. 59 of the right bronchial arteries (74.7%) entered into the lung behind the right main bronchus, the other 20 (25.3%) entered through medial side. In 83 left side bronchial arteries, 23 arteries (27.7%) entered into the lung behind the left main bronchus, 38 (45.8%) entered through the supra side, and the other 22(26.5%) through medial side of left bronchus. There was significant difference in the detective rate of bronchial artery among lung cancer group, bronchiectasis group, and normal group (P<0.05). There was obvious statistical difference (P<0.05) in the diameter of the bronchial artery between lung cancer group and other groups including normal, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary inflammation and bronchiectasis groups; the same as bronchiectasis group compared with normal, embolism and inflammation groups (P<0.05). There were no statistical differences (P>0.05) among inflammation, embolism, and normal groups. Conclusion: MSCT thin-slice enhanced scanning is a safe, non-invasive, simple, and effective method in showing the bronchial artery, which can reveal the origin, number, shape, mediastinal pathway of the bronchial artery in the lung cancer and bronchiectasis accurately. But it can't clearly show the pulmonary pathway