Quantification of lung surface area using computed tomography.
OBJECTIVE
To refine the CT prediction of emphysema by comparing histology and CT for specific regions of lung. To incorporate both regional lung density measured by CT and cluster analysis of low attenuation areas for comparison with histological measurement of surface area per unit lung volume.


METHODS
The histological surface area per unit lung volume was estimated for 140 samples taken from resected lung specimens of fourteen subjects. The region of the lung sampled for histology was located on the pre-operative CT scan; the regional CT median lung density and emphysematous lesion size were calculated using the X-ray attenuation values and a low attenuation cluster analysis. Linear mixed models were used to examine the relationships between histological surface area per unit lung volume and CT measures.


RESULTS
The median CT lung density, low attenuation cluster analysis, and the combination of both were important predictors of surface area per unit lung volume measured by histology (p < 0.0001). Akaike's information criterion showed the model incorporating both parameters provided the most accurate prediction of emphysema.


CONCLUSIONS
Combining CT measures of lung density and emphysematous lesion size provides a more accurate estimate of lung surface area per unit lung volume than either measure alone.
University of British Columbia James Hogg Research Centre and the Heart and Lung Institute, St. Paul’s Hospital, Burrard Street, Vancouver, Canada.
Ren
R
Yuan
Taishi
T
Nagao
Peter D
PD
Paré
James C
JC
Hogg
Don D
DD
Sin
Mark W
MW
Elliott
Leanna
L
Loy
Li
L
Xing
Steven E
SE
Kalloger
John C
JC
English
John R
JR
Mayo
Harvey O
HO
Coxson
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*