The value of multislice spiral CT features of cavitary walls in differentiating between peripheral lung cancer cavities and single pulmonary tuberculous thick-walled cavities.
OBJECTIVE
Form discordance of cavity walls (FDCW) and form concordance of cavity walls (FCCW) in multislice spiral CT (MSCT) were investigated to determine their value in differentiating between peripheral lung cancer cavities and single pulmonary tuberculous thick-walled cavities. An assessment of the role of multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) in detecting FDCW and FCCW was also performed.


METHODS
MSCT cross-sectional images of 116 consecutive cases (including 60 cases with available MPR images) with peripheral lung cancer cavities and 118 consecutive cases (including 62 cases with available MPR images) with single pulmonary tuberculous thick-walled cavities (wall thickness >3 mm) were retrospectively analysed. According to the characteristics of cavitary internal and external walls on MSCT, these cavities were divided into two types (FDCW and FCCW). FDCW was further divided into three subtypes (FDCW-I, FDCW-II and FDCW-III); FCCW was further divided into two subtypes (FCCW-I and FCCW-II).


RESULTS
On the cross-sectional and MPR images, the total detection rate of FDCW-I and FDCW-III in peripheral lung cancer cavities was 76.7% (89/116) and 93.3% (56/60), respectively, whereas the total detection rate of FCCW-I and FCCW-II in single pulmonary tuberculous thick-walled cavities was 75.4% (89/118) and 91.9% (57/62), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
FDCW-I, FDCW-III, FCCW-I and FCCW-II were valuable in differentiating between peripheral lung cancer cavities and single pulmonary tuberculous thick-walled cavities. MPR could improve the detection of FDCW-I and FDCW-III in peripheral lung cancer cavities and FCCW-I and FCCW-II in single pulmonary tuberculous thick-walled cavities.
Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zunyi Medical College, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China. lbg6288@163.com
B-G
BG
Li
D-Q
DQ
Ma
Z-Y
ZY
Xian
J
J
Guan
K-J
KJ
Luo
Q-W
QW
Fan
L
L
Peng
W
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He
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult