[Differential diagnosis of benign and malignant solitary pulmonary nodule with computer-aided detection].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the morphological features of benign and malignant solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) and explore the radiological evidences for the differentiation of SPNs.


METHODS
With SPN Dicom View software, we analyzed and compared images obtained from 23 patients with malignant SPNs and 22 patients with benign SPNs who received CT scanning with or without contrast medium injection.


RESULTS
The enhancement in malignant SPNs group was significantly higher than in the benign SPNs group (P < 0.0001). The irregular enhancement in malignant SPNs group was significantly higher than in the benign SPNs group (P = 0. 0084). The mean range of enhancement was (45.04 +/- 26.76) HU in malignant SPNs group, which was significantly higher than that in the benign SPNs group [(15.70 +/- 17.84) HU, P = 0.033]. The mean peak enhancement value was (136.09 +/- 41.72) HU in malignant SPNs group, which was significantly higher than in benign SPNs group [ (60.60 +/- 60.27) HU, P = 0.007]. The mean enhancement area was (21.69 +/- 21.01)% in malignant SPNs group and (8.61 +/- 10.83)% in benign SPNs group (P = 0.203).


CONCLUSIONS
The enhancement range and peak enhancement value as well as the morphologically irregular enhancement of SPNs may provide useful information in the clinical radiological diagnosis of SPNs.
Department of Radiology, Shanghai Huadong Hospital, Shanghai 200040, China. wangmingpeng@vip.163.com
Ming-peng
MP
Wang
Yong-qiang
YQ
Tan
Guo-zhen
GZ
Zhang
Jian-guo
JG
Zhang
Hao
H
Wu
Jian-ying
JY
Yang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed