title: Thin-section computed tomography findings of lung adenocarcinoma with inherent metastatic potential.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The solid component of lung ground-glass nodules on thin-section computed tomography (TSCT) reflects cancer cell progression and invasiveness. The purpose of this study was to clarify the cut-off value of preoperative TSCT findings in treating a lesion suspected of being adenocarcinoma and to recognize the timing of surgical resection for lung nodules.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reevaluated the TSCT findings in 392 patients with clinical stage IA lung adenocarcinoma who underwent surgical resection between 2003 and 2007. We identified the clinical parameters that were most useful for predicting recurrence and identified a cut-off level for each parameter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recurrence was observed in 75 (19 %) of 392 patients (median follow-up: 7 years). The size of internal consolidation of a lung nodule (SCL) and the ratio of the SCL to the maximum tumor diameter (C/T ratio) were extracted as independent factors that predicted recurrence. Only 1 (0.3 %) patient each with a lung nodule C/T ratio ≤0.5 and SCL ≤10 mm recurred. These conditions were associated with a significantly better overall survival and recurrence-free survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with clinical stage I lung adenocarcinoma with a C/T ratio ≤0.5 and/or SCL ≤10 mm on TSCT, surgery is extremely likely to achieve a cure.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8577, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8577, Japan. kaokage@east.ncc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Keiju
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aokage
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8577, Japan.
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology, Research Center for Innovative Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Genichiro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8577, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8577, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haruki
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8577, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hishida
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8577, Japan.
authors.forename: Kanji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagai
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Adenocarcinoma; Consolidation tumor ratio; Ground-glass nodule; Surgery; Thin-section CT