Chest CT for suspected pulmonary complications of oncologic therapies: How i review and report

Abstract

In cancer patient during or following oncologic therapies with respiratory symptoms and pulmonary pathology at chest CT the differential diagnosis includes infection, therapy-induced disease and tumour progression. Although CT morphology may be typical or even pathognomonic in some conditions the diagnosis is usually made by a synopsis of imaging, clinical and laboratory features. Close communication with referring colleagues and a good knowledge of potential side effects of therapeutic concepts, their time course and CT morphology is crucial in the differential diagnosis. This review describes a personal approach to the radiological diagnosis of therapy-induced pulmonary abnormalities in cancer patients.