The Applicability of Radiography and Computed Tomography in Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Lung cancer is the most common malignant disease worldwide. In Brazil, it was responsible for 26,498 deaths in 2015, and about 85% of cases are associated with smoking. Passive exposure to cigarette smoke and occupational exposure to chemical or physical agents such as radon gas also contribute to the development of this type of tumor. Chest radiography is the initial examination to investigate the suspicion of this disease, with wide accessibility and good cost benefit. In contrast, computed tomography is extremely important for patient survival due to its high resolution, allowing a better visualization of pulmonary anatomical details and smaller nodules, as well as lesion characteristics such as size, location and extension. Through qualitative bibliographic research, scientific articles were selected in Portuguese and English from 2000 to 2019. The objective of this study is to highlight the effectiveness of radiography and computed tomography in the diagnosis of lung cancer, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages found in these. imaging exams, besides identifying the main common aspects in the lifestyle of patients with this malignant neoplasia and analyzing the alterations visualized in both exams. A study by Cornell University researchers found that, despite being of great relevance in the diagnosis of lung cancer, chest X-ray is not able to reveal a tumor at an early stage, which makes computed tomography more effective in this area. diagnosis. Similarly, research by the American Cancer Society found that computed tomography demonstrates more details of this pathology than chest radiography. Therefore, computed tomography stands out over radiography because it allows a better detailing of anatomical structures in addition to diagnosing lung cancer.

Keywords: lung cancer; diagnosis; risk factors; chest X-ray; computed tomography.