Spiral CT of the chest: comparison of cine and film-based viewing.
OBJECTIVE
To determine radiologists' ability to find lung nodules on spiral computed tomographic (CT) scans of the chest with both rapid sequential (cine) and conventional film-based viewing.


METHODS
Eight radiologists searched for lung nodules on spiral CT images (10-mm collimation, 10 mm/sec table speed) presented in two formats. Cine viewing was performed at a computer work-station; sections were viewed in 2-mm increments at frame rates up to 10 frames per second. Film-based viewing of images from a laser printer was performed with a lightbox; sections were viewed at 4-mm increments. Eight 3-5-mm-diameter simulated nodules were superimposed on each of five normal CT scans.


RESULTS
Radiologists found a higher fraction of nodules with the cine presentation than with film (mean, 0.69 +/- 0.02 [standard error] versus 0.58 +/- 0.03, respectively [P = .006]). Diameter thresholds for nodule detection (50% correctly localized) were 3.3 and 3.5 mm, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Cine viewing of spiral CT images of the chest improved radiologists' ability to detect nodules.
Seltzer
S E
SE
Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Judy
P F
PF
Adams
D F
DF
Jacobson
F L
FL
Stark
P
P
Kikinis
R
R
Swensson
R G
RG
Hooton
S
S
Head
B
B
Feldman
U
U
D006801:Humans; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*