Ex-vivo injection technique for implanting solid pulmonary nodules into porcine lungs for multi-slice CT.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a method for generating realistic pulmonary nodules that equal small pulmonary metastases and granulomas.


METHODS
A total of 70 artificial lesions were introduced into 5 inflated porcine lungs inside a dedicated chest phantom by high pressure injection of a fat-wax-Lipiodol mixture and scanned with 16-slice computed tomography (CT). Image evaluation by two experienced radiologists included analysis of morphology, nodule size and density.


RESULTS
The median nodule density was 78.8 Hounsfield units (HU), with 54 of 70 nodules (77.14 %) judged typical of small lung metastases.


CONCLUSIONS
Without inducing visible damage of lung parenchyma, the injection technique produces highly realistic pulmonary nodules for morphometry or nodule detection with CT.
Bolte
H
H
Klinik für Diagnostische Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany. Hendrikbolte@rad.uni-kiel.de
Müller-Hülsbeck
S
S
Riedel
C
C
Jahnke
T
T
Inan
N
N
Heller
M
M
Biederer
J
J
D000818:Animals; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007267:Injections; D007459:Iodized Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012984:Software; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013552:Swine; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
D007459:Iodized Oil