[A study of the minimum number of slices required for quantification of pulmonary emphysema by computed tomography].
We attempted to determine the minimum number of slices required for quantification of overall emphysema by computed tomography (CT). Forty-nine patients underwent CT scanning with a 15-mm slice interval, and 13 to 18 slices per patient were obtained. The percentage of low attenuation area (LAA%) per slice was measured with a method that we reported on previously, utilizing a CT program and NIH image. The average LAA% values for 1, 2, 3, and 6 slices evenly spaced through the lungs [LAA% (1), LAA% (2), LAA% (3), and LAA% (6)] were compared with those for all slices [LAA% (All)]. The correlation coefficients for LAA% (1), LAA% (2), LAA% (3), and LAA% (6) with LAA% (All) were 0.961, 0.981, 0.993, and 0.997, respectively. Mean differences +/- SD were -3.20 +/- 4.21%, -2.32 +/- 3.00, -0.20 +/- 1.84, and -0.16 +/- 1.26, respectively. From these results, we concluded that overall emphysema can be quantified by using at least three slices: one each of the upper, middle, and lower lung.
Hitsuda
Y
Y
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Japan.
Kawasaki
Y
Y
Igishi
T
T
Yasuda
K
K
Kato
K
K
Matsumoto
S
S
Nakamoto
M
M
Hashimoto
K
K
Fujii
Y
Y
Miyata
M
M
Sasaki
T
T
Shimizu
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*