title: Voxel dimensions required for micromorphologic evaluation of ground-glass opacity on lung high-resolution CT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the appropriate voxel dimensions required for pathologic evaluation of areas with ground-glass opacity on lung high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Synchrotron radiation CT (SRCT) images of autopsied lung speci-mens (n=25) that showed ground-glass opacity on HRCT were reconstructed with 12 different voxel dimensions ranging from 0.006 to 0.6 mm. The specimens were micromorphologically categorized into one of three pathologic groups: alveolar, interstitial, and mixed abnormalities. Each SRCT image was independently diagnosed as one of three pathologic groups by six chest radiologists. The diagnostic accuracy required to estimate the appropriate voxel dimensions was compared among different voxel dimensions by means of the Tukey test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diagnostic accuracy with voxel dimensions less than or equal to 0.06 mm was significantly higher than that with voxel dimensions of 0.18 mm or more (p<0.01). There was, however, no significance of difference in diagnostic accuracy with voxel dimensions of less than or equal to 0.06 mm. In addition, no significant difference in diagnostic accuracy was found with voxel dimensions of 0.18 mm or more.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The appropriate voxel dimensions are approximately 0.06 mm for pathologic differentiation of areas with ground-glass opacity on HRCT.
authors: Department of Radiology, Osaka University Hospital, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Ueguchi
authors: Takeshi
authors: T
authors: Johkoh
authors: Mitsuhiro
authors: M
authors: Koyama
authors: Osamu
authors: O
authors: Honda
authors: Chikako
authors: C
authors: Tanaka
authors: Seiki
authors: S
authors: Hamada
authors: Noriyuki
authors: N
authors: Tomiyama
authors: Takenori
authors: T
authors: Kozuka
authors: Mitsuko
authors: M
authors: Tsubamoto
authors: Sachiko
authors: S
authors: Murai
authors: Shuji
authors: S
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Yuji
authors: Y
authors: Ogata
authors: Mitsuhiro
authors: M
authors: Matsumoto
authors: Hironobu
authors: H
authors: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*