Occult mediastinal lymph node metastasis in FDG‐PET/CT node‐negative lung adenocarcinoma patients: Risk factors and histopathological study

Abstract

Increased primary tumor and hilar lymph node SUVmax, solid nodule, centrally located tumor and increased CEA level predicted the increased risk of mediastinal lymph node metastasis. Combined use of these factors improved the diagnostic capacity for predicting N2 disease preoperatively. Invasive mediastinal staging should be considered for patients with these risk factors, even those with a negative mediastinum on PET/CT.