ABSTRACT

The aim of our study is to demonstrate the efficiency of computerized tomography (CT) in determining the etiology of mediastinal lymphadenopathy detected on thoracic CT by evaluating its dimension, location, number, enhancing pattern and structure of the parenchyma.

Ninety-six subjects, 73 men and 23 women, who were referred to our clinic with various initial diagnoses and whose thorax CT examination revealed mediastinal lymphadenopathy, were included in the study.

Among the patients divided into 5 groups according to the etiology of the mediastinal LAP, statistically significant difference was found when comparing the third group with the first and the second groups in terms of the presence or absence of lymph node calcification. Significant difference was observed between the first group and the second group regarding the lymph node dimensions. No statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of the presence of lymph nodes packet.

CT is an effective imaging method for evaluating the dimension, location, number, enhancing pattern and the structure of parenchyma of mediastinal lymphadenopathy, for staging, and for following after operation or medication.