Conventional radiographic follow-up in the irradiated lung.

AIMS: To highlight the different changes induced in lung tissues by various forms of radiotherapy (RT) according to tumor site and type. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the roentgenographic evaluation of and long-term follow-up data on 2375 patients who received RT for various intrathoracic and extrathoracic tumors at the National Cancer Institute of Milan. RESULTS: The iconographic patterns of post-RT changes, grouped by site and type of tumor and RT procedure and described in detail, afford deeper insight into a little-known area of lung pathology. CONCLUSIONS: These descriptions of common and uncommon patterns of the irradiated lung as they appear on conventional chest roentgenograms enable the radiologist and radiotherapist to assess exactly the response of tumor and lung tissues and to plan the most appropriate clinical follow-up.