Development of a novel computer-aided diagnosis system for automatic discrimination of malignant from benign solitary pulmonary nodules on thin-section dynamic computed tomography.
OBJECTIVE
As an application of the computer-aided diagnosis of solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs), 3-dimensional contrast-enhanced (CE) dynamic helical computed tomography (HCT) was performed to evaluate temporal changes in the internal structure of nodules to differentiate between benign nodules (BNs) and malignant nodules (MNs).


METHODS
There were 62 SPNs (35 MNs and 27 BNs) included in this study. Scanning (2-mm collimation) was performed before and 2 and 4 minutes after CE dynamic HCT. The CT data were sent to a computer, and the pixels inside the nodule were characterized in terms of 3 parameters (attenuation, shape index, and curvedness value).


RESULTS
Based on the CT data at 4 (MN: 1.81-27.1, BN: -42.8 to -3.29) minutes after CE-dynamic HCT, a score of 0 or higher can be assumed to indicate an MN.


CONCLUSIONS
Three-dimensional computer-aided diagnosis of the internal structure of SPNs using CE dynamic HCT was found to be effective for differentiating between BNs and MNs.
Mori
Kiyoshi
K
Department of Thoracic Diseases, Tochigi Cancer Center, Tochigi, Japan. kmori@tcc.pref.tochigi.jp
Niki
Noboru
N
Kondo
Teturo
T
Kamiyama
Yukari
Y
Kodama
Teturo
T
Kawada
Yoshiki
Y
Moriyama
Noriyuki
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003196:Computer Graphics; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007479:Iopamidol; D016014:Linear Models; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008432:Mathematical Computing; D008875:Middle Aged; D012372:ROC Curve; D012984:Software; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media; D007479:Iopamidol