Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung: CT and FDG PET findings

Thymic large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma – a rare and aggressive tumor: a case report

“…The clinical presentation of our patient highlights the compression of mediastinal structures such us lung, heart, and nerve roots resulting in chest pain irradiating to her neck and her left arm. The imaging techniques showed mainly a tumor localized in the upper anterior mediastinum and its relationships with adjacent anatomical structures [11–13]. However, in the presence of a wide mediastinopulmonary tumor, like in our case, imaging techniques are challenged particularly by the issue of determining whether the tumor is a primary lung tumor, a thymic, or another mediastinal organ primary neoplasm.…”

“…However, in such a clinical presentation, often the only option is a thoracotomy or thoracoscopy approach in order to assess the macroscopic location and extension of the tumor, and the subsequent management can be performed with open biopsy for histological evaluation. On a CT scan, LCNEC of the lung generally has a peripheral location, rarely central, and bulky enlargement of the intrathoracic lymph node is uncommon [11, 13]. Thus, any large mass of the anterior mediastinum with lung involvement should indicate at first a diagnosis of primary thymic tumor invading the pulmonary parenchyma.…”

“…Mostly, pulmonary LCNEC (like SCNEC) is highly associated with heavy tobacco smoking, whereas thymic LCNEC is not. With imaging techniques (CT scan especially), primary lung LCNEC is usually peripherally located, rarely central, and invades the mediastinal structures less often [11–13]. Thus, any anterior mediastinal LCNEC invading lung structures radiologically, suggests at first a locally advanced thymic primary tumor.…”

Diagnostic Pathology of Lung Cancer

“…Large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas are most often situated within the periphery of the upper lobes, average 3 to 4 cm in greatest dimension, and many times show extraparenchymal tumor extension. 3,38 Morphologically, large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas display the characteristic neuroendocrine growth patterns described earlier, and usually have broad zones of tumor necrosis. The cytologic features may be similar to those seen in carcinoid tumors, but more commonly tumor cells are seen as large, atypical cells with prominent nucleoli and abundant cytoplasm (►Fig.…”

İntrakraniyal Tumorlerde Molekuler Goruntuleme

“…Aynı ayırımın F18-FET dağılım kinetiğine bakarak da yapılabileceği ve tümör içindeki dağılımın heterojenite göstermesi durumunda histopatolojik incelemede düşük dereceli tümörlerde anaplastik odakların saptanabileceği bildirilmiştir [14]. Ayrıca F18-FET tutulumunun yüksek dereceli glial tümörlerde belirgin olarak daha yüksek olduğu bildirilmiştir [19]. Dinamik F18-FET ile konvansiyonel kontrastlı MRG'de kontrastlanma saptanmadığı için WHO grade II olarak belirlenen tümörlerin %50'sinde daha malign bir fenotipin varlığı gösterilebilmiştir [14].…”