Small pulmonary nodules: volume measurement at chest CT--phantom study.
Three-dimensional methods for quantifying pulmonary nodule volume at computed tomography (CT) and the effect of imaging variables were studied by using a realistic phantom. Two fixed-threshold methods, a partial-volume method (PVM) and a variable method, were used to calculate volumes of 40 plastic nodules (largest dimension, <5 mm: 20 nodules with solid attenuation and 20 with ground-glass attenuation) of known volume. Tube current times (20 and 120 mAs), reconstruction algorithms (high and low frequency), and nodule characteristics were studied. Higher precision was associated with use of a PVM with predetermined pure nodule attenuation, high-frequency algorithm, and diagnostic CT technique (120 mAs). A PVM is promising for volume quantification and follow-up of nodules.
Ko
Jane P
JP
Department of Radiology, Section of Thoracic Imaging, New York University Medical Center, 560 1st Ave, New York, NY 10016, USA. jane.ko@med.nyu.edu
Rusinek
Henry
H
Jacobs
Erika L
EL
Babb
James S
JS
Betke
Margrit
M
McGuinness
Georgeann
G
Naidich
David P
DP
D000465:Algorithms; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*