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Pulmonary emphysema: objective quantification at multi-detector row CT--comparison with macroscopic and microscopic
Afarine Madani1, Jacqueline Zanen, Viviane de Maertelaer
1Department of Radiology, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. afarine@ladner-madani.com
Radiology
|January 21, 2006
Summary
Multi-detector row CT indexes, specifically relative lung areas below -970 HU and the 1st percentile, accurately quantify pulmonary emphysema. These CT measures correlate well with macroscopic and microscopic assessments, aiding in emphysema quantification.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Pulmonology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Pulmonary emphysema is a significant respiratory condition.
- Accurate quantification of emphysema is crucial for patient management.
- Existing methods for emphysema assessment have limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively compare pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and helical computed tomographic (CT) indexes.
- To evaluate the ability of CT indexes to quantify pulmonary emphysema.
- To validate CT findings against macroscopic and microscopic morphometry.
Main Methods:
- 80 patients undergoing lung cancer surgery provided data.
- Multi-detector row CT scans were analyzed.
- Relative lung areas and percentiles of attenuation coefficients were calculated.
- CT data were compared with macroscopic and microscopic emphysema measurements.
Main Results:
- Relative lung areas below -970 HU showed strong correlation with macroscopy (r=0.543).
- CT indexes correlated significantly with microscopy (e.g., -960 HU, r=0.592).
- The 1st percentile strongly correlated with both macroscopy (r=-0.463) and microscopy (r=-0.573).
Conclusions:
- Relative lung areas (<-960/-970 HU) and 1st percentile are valid CT indexes for emphysema quantification.
- CT indexes complement PFTs in predicting microscopic emphysema.
- Multi-detector row CT offers a reliable method for assessing pulmonary emphysema severity.