Radiographic Staging of Mediastinal Lymph Nodes in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients

In order for non-small cell lung cancer patients to undergo the most appropriate treatment, accurate clinical staging (including an assessment for mediastinal lymph node metastasis) is essential. Imaging studies play a critical role in this process. To screen for mediastinal lymph node metastasis, the most sensitive and accurate imaging modality is a positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan. Despite improvements in the sensitivity and accuracy of imaging techniques, histologic assessment of the mediastinum is still required.