title: Diagnosis of regional node metastases in lung cancer with computer-aided 3D measurement of the volume and CT-attenuation values of lymph nodes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to assess the usefulness of computer-aided three-dimensional (3D) measurement of volume and computed tomography (CT) attenuation values of nodes for diagnosing nodal metastases of lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured three diameters, their ratios, volume, and CT values in 3D images of 191 nodes (64 malignant; 162 of <1 cm in short diameter) in 26 consecutive patients who underwent contrast-enhanced, thin-section, multidetector row CT before surgery. We separately studied statistically significant factors in a group of all nodes and in another group of nodes of <1 cm in short diameter with logistic modeling and evaluated their diagnostic accuracy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant factors were CT values (P < .001) and short diameter (P = .001) for the total node group, and CT values (P = .030) and 3D volume (P = .035) for the <1 cm node group. Optimal 83% accuracy was obtained with a criterion of short diameter of >7.4 mm and CT values of >103 Hounsfield unit (HU) for the total node group, whereas optimal 76% accuracy was obtained with a criterion of 3D volume of >1282 mm(3) or CT values of >103 HU for the <1 cm node group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  3D measurement may be useful for diagnosing nodal metastases.
authors.affiliation: Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Division of Allied Health Sciences, Department of Diagnostic Radiological Imaging, 1-7 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. yoshi_seat_128@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Shodayu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takashima
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hakucho
authors.forename: Chie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: Bing-hu
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Hodaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Numasaki
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tomita
authors.forename: Katsuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Higashiyama
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*