Based upon our clinical experiences and model experiment, fine, small tumorous changes of the bronchial mucus membrane could be clearly delineated with light-coating bronchography. The lesion of the large bronchi could be demonstrated either as enface or as profile, depending on the situation of the lesion. The lesion situated anterior or posterior aspect of the bronchi could be detected as enface, and superior or inferior aspect as profile. The lesion of rather small bronchi could be demonstrated mainly as profile, because rotation of the body axis could be possible in order to make the lesion profile when x-p of bronchography is taken. When contrast media is filled in the bronchi, namely filled-tube appearance, the lesion of bronchial mucosa of the large bronchi could not be delineated as enface, and it is only possible to delineate as profile when the lesion is so situated. Indication of bronchographic examination could be expanded not only to examine anatomical changes of the bronchi but also to delineate mucosal changes of the large bronchi.

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This is to report the detection and localization of the early lung cancer at the hilar region in the 16 patients who have visited the National Cancer Center Hospital during the period from May 1962 to December 1979. For the early detection of early lung cancer at the hilar region, the male patients 45 years and older and with Cigarette Indexes of 600 and higher should be classified in the "high risk group", and screening should be carried out for these patients. When the patients have bloody sputum, in particular, the possibility of the discovery is even higher. The effective screening method is the combination of sputum cytology and chest X-ray. For localization, the examination by flexible bronchial fiberscope is the most effective, particularly in the case of Chest X-ray negative occult lung cancers. Careful obsevation should be made on the shining of mucosal surface, little irregularity and little changes in longitudinal or transverse mucosal folds, as the effective bronchoscopic findings for the detection of carcinoma in situ or early invasivecarcinoma.

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[in Japanese]

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