Peripheral solitary pulmonary nodule: CT findings in patients with pulmonary emphysema.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze retrospectively the computed tomographic (CT) features of peripheral noncalcified solitary pulmonary nodules in patients with and those without emphysema.


METHODS
The authors' institutional review board required neither its approval nor patient informed consent for this retrospective study. The authors retrospectively reviewed 2-mm-thick CT images of 41 nodules (21 malignant, 20 benign) in 41 patients with emphysema (age range, 58-88 years; mean, 71.9 years) and 40 nodules (20 malignant, 20 benign) in 40 patients without emphysema (age range, 50-85 years; mean, 69.2 years). Two radiologists who were unaware of the diagnosis independently evaluated the shape and margin of the nodule, recorded the presence of ground-glass opacities and air bronchograms, and classified nodules into two diagnostic categories: malignant and benign. Final decisions were reached by consensus. For quantitative assessment of the nodules, the fractal dimensions of the nodule interfaces and circularity of the nodule shape were calculated with an image-processing program, and the percentage of the nodule surrounded by emphysema was obtained. Statistical comparisons were made with a chi(2) or Fisher exact test and the Mann-Whitney U test.


RESULTS
In patients with emphysema, there were no significant differences in fractal dimension, circularity, or frequency of lobulation or spiculation between malignant and benign nodules. Of the 41 nodules in patients with emphysema, 26 (63%) were correctly diagnosed. Thirteen benign nodules (65%) were diagnosed as malignant in patients with emphysema. Of the 40 nodules in nonemphysematous lungs, 37 (93%) were correctly diagnosed. The mean percentage of emphysema around the nodule was greater for misdiagnosed nodules than for correctly diagnosed nodules (P = .003).


CONCLUSIONS
Malignant and benign nodules associated with emphysema exhibited considerably more overlap in CT features than did nodules in nonemphysematous lungs.
Matsuoka
Shin
S
Department of Radiology, St Marianna University School of Medicine, 2-16-1 Sugao, Miyamae-Ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa 216-8511, Japan. shinma@d9.dion.ne.jp
Kurihara
Yasuyuki
Y
Yagihashi
Kunihiro
K
Niimi
Hiroshi
H
Nakajima
Yasuo
Y
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed