MSCT findings of primary Pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma

OBJECTIVES: To improve diagnostic accuracy of pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma (PMEC) through multi-detector computed tomography (MSCT) findings. METHODS: MSCT findings of 27 histopathologically confirmed PMEC cases were retrospectively analyzed, including the location, size, margin, density, enhancement of the lesion and accompanying signs. RESULTS: Among the 27 PMEC cases, 6 (6/27, 22.2%) were the large airway pattern, 14 were (14/27, 51.9%) the pulmonary hilum pattern, and 7 (7/27, 26.9%) were the peripheral pattern. Among those 20 cases with central pattern(6 large airway and 14 pulmonary hilum patterns), 6 presented mild enhancement, 4 moderate enhancement, 5 severe enhancement, 5 heterogeneous enhancement, and 3 with calcification. 7 cases with peripheral patterns were presented as solid pulmonary nodules and masses, 3 with severe enhancement, 1 with moderate enhancement and 3 with mild enhancement. Four cases accompanied by lymph nodal metastasis, and 7 cases with distant organ metastasis. Age(t = –3.132, p = 0.005), enlarged lymph node (x(2) = 9.281, p = 0.005), and distant metastasis(x(2) = 7.816, p = 0.008) were statistically significant in the low-grade group and high-grade group. CONCLUSIONS: MSCT images of PMEC patients demonstrated some characteristic findings, which would help improve the diagnostic accuracy of the disease.