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Volume histogram analysis for lung thin-section computed tomography: differentiation between usual interstitial
Hiromitsu Sumikawa1, Takeshi Johkoh, Shuji Yamamoto
1Department of Radiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. h-sumikawa@radiol.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Insights
Volume histogram analysis using cubic regions of interest (ROIs) can help differentiate usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) from nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP). Entropy in cubic ROIs was significantly higher in UIP cases, suggesting a potential diagnostic tool.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Radiology
- Quantitative Imaging
Background:
- Idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs) encompass a group of lung diseases.
- Distinguishing between usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) is crucial for patient management and prognosis.
- Accurate differentiation often relies on histopathological findings, which can be invasive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utility of volume histogram analysis in differentiating between UIP and NSIP.
- To assess the performance of histogram parameters (contrast, variance, entropy) in various regions of interest (ROIs).
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 60 IIP cases (22 UIP, 38 NSIP).
- Calculation of contrast, variance, and entropy in whole lung, right lower lobe, and cubic ROIs.
- Correlation of histogram parameters with the extent of lung abnormalities (low/high density voxels).
Main Results:
- No significant differences in histogram parameters were found between whole lung and right lower lobe ROIs.
- Entropy was significantly higher in cubic ROIs for UIP compared to NSIP (P < 0.001).
- Low-density areas correlated with contrast and entropy; high-density areas correlated with all three parameters.
Conclusions:
- Volume histogram analysis, particularly using cubic ROIs, shows promise for differentiating UIP from NSIP.
- This quantitative imaging approach may offer a non-invasive method to aid in IIP classification.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to evaluate volume histogram analysis between usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP).
Methods:
Sixty cases (UIP, n = 22; NSIP, n = 38) were evaluated retrospectively. Three parameters (contrast, variance, and entropy) were calculated in 3 types of regions of interest (ROIs): (a) whole lung, (b) right lower lobe, and (c) cubic ROIs. To evaluate the influence of extent of abnormal findings, the numbers of voxels with low or high density in whole lung were compared with the 3 parameters.
Result:
No significant differences were observed between the ROIs of whole lung and the right lower lobe. In all cubic ROIs, entropy in UIP was larger than that in NSIP (P < 0.001). The numbers of voxels with low-density areas significantly correlated with the values of contrast and entropy, whereas those with high-density areas significantly correlated with all 3 parameters.
Conclusion:
Volume histogram analysis for cubic ROIs may be feasible for differentiating between UIP and NSIP.
