title: [Correlation between computed tomographic vascular convergence sign and enhancement value in patients with pulmonary nodules].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the correlation between computed tomographic (CT) vascular convergence sign and enhancement value in patients with pulmonary nodules.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 708 consecutive patients with pulmonary nodule received dual-source CT scan from January 2010 to January 2012. They were divided into vascular convergence sign group (including 4 subgroups) and non-vascular convergence sign group. Then the correlation between CT vascular convergence sign and enhancement values was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The enhancement values in vascular convergence sign group were significantly higher than those in non-vascular convergence sign group ((27.6 ± 10.5) vs (3.2 ± 2.8) HU, P = 0.000). The CT enhancement values in lesions tended to increase with the number of connecting blood vessels. However, no significant differences existed among the subgroups (P > 0.05). The accuracy of vascular convergence sign for detection of pulmonary malignant nodules was 84.9%, 70.6% and 60.3% according to the standards of CT enhancement values ≥ 15, 20, 25 HU respectively. The sensibility, specificity and accuracy of determining pulmonary malignant nodules were 97.2%, 68.8% and 93.7% according to the standard of vascular convergence sign. The accuracy of determining pulmonary nodules' CT enhancement values ≥ 15 HU was 88.1% according to the standard of vascular convergence sign.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vascular convergence sign may be used to indicate the enhancement of pulmonary nodules when CT enhancement images are not available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
authors.forename: Zeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China. Email: 13787273814@139.com.
authors.forename: Cheng-ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jin-kang
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xin-yuan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Mo-ling
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zhi-ming
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: 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; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult