Quantification of ground-glass opacity on high-resolution CT of small peripheral adenocarcinoma of the lung: pathologic and prognostic implications.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of our study was to correlate the high-resolution CT findings of small peripheral adenocarcinoma of the lung with underlying histopathology and to evaluate the prognostic implications of the CT findings.


METHODS
The high-resolution CT findings of small peripheral adenocarcinoma of the lung in 224 patients were analyzed by two independent observers for location, size, marginal characteristics, and extent of ground-glass opacity and necrosis. The pathologic specimens were reviewed by an experienced lung pathologist.


RESULTS
One hundred and thirty-two patients had bronchioloalveolar carcinoma and 92 had adenocarcinoma. The extent of ground-glass opacity was greater in bronchioloalveolar carcinomas (mean +/- SD, 29% +/- 31.6%) than in other adenocarcinomas (8% +/- 13.3%) (p < 0.001). The extent of ground-glass opacity was significantly greater in patients without recurrence (p = 0.020) and those without nodal (p = 0.017) or distant (p = 0.007) metastases than in patients with nodal or distant metastases or in whom the carcinoma had recurred.


CONCLUSIONS
The extent of ground-glass opacity in a nodule is greater in bronchioloalveolar carcinomas than in other adenocarcinomas. Greater extent of ground-glass opacity also correlates with improved prognosis.
Kim
E A
EA
Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50, Ilwon-Dong, Kangnam-Ku, Seoul 135-710, Korea.
Johkoh
T
T
Lee
K S
KS
Han
J
J
Fujimoto
K
K
Sadohara
J
J
Yang
P S
PS
Kozuka
T
T
Honda
O
O
Kim
S
S
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005898:Glass; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*