Abstract:
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Purpose: The purpose is to develop a variation measurement of CT density histogram of small pulmonary nodules to assess developments of benignity and malignancy status.
Methods and Materials: Nodule doubling time is used to measure the volumetric changes of pulmonary nodule by using sequential high-resolution CT images. To assess nodule status requires not only the measurement of volume changes, but also ones of nodule density variations. In order to evaluate the nodule doubling time based on CT density histogram, three-dimensional (3-D) image processing techniques were used to quantify variations in sixteen patients for whom the final diagnosis was known (seven benign and nine malignant cases) and whose initial nodule diameters were less than 20 mm. By applying the exponential growth model to each bin number of the histogram at two points in time, the doubling time for each bin was calculated.
Results: In eight malignant nodules, the higher density part inside nodules grew and the doubling times of the bin of the density part was less than 66 days approximately. In the opposite direction the lower density part inside nodules decreased. In seven benign nodules, the higher density part inside nodules was decreased and the doubling time of the bin of the density part was negative values. In the opposite direction the lower density part inside nodules grew.
Conclusion: The nodule doubling time based on CT density histogram has highly potential usefulness to assess benignity and malignancy status using high-resolution CT images.
Matsui, M,
Growth Evaluation Using Pulmonary Nodule Doubling Time Based on CT Density Histogram. Radiological Society of North America 2003 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 30 - December 5, 2003 ,Chicago IL.
http://archive.rsna.org/2003/3106605.html
