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Postprocessing technique with MDCT data improves the accuracy of the detection of lung nodules

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to determine whether postprocessing techniques could improve the accuracy of detecting lung nodules.

Materials and methods

A total of 154 segmented lung volumes of multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) data were the subject of the study. Lung nodules were present in 88 volumes and absent in 66 volumes. We prepared four groups: (1) 7- or 10-mm thick-section axial images; (2) 1-mm thin-section axial images; (3) sliding slab maximum intensity projection (MIP) images with a slab thickness of 15 mm; and (4) sliding slab volume rendering (VR) images with a slab thickness of 15 mm. Sixteen physicians reviewed each group in interactive cine mode. The observers’ performance in the detection of lung nodule was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Results

The observers’ performance of the MIP and VR groups was significantly better than in other two groups. There was no significant difference statistically between the thin and thick groups.

Conclusion

The detectability of lung nodules is improved with the use of sliding slab MIP and VR using thin-section image data. Thin-section volume data are essential for improving diagnostic accuracy, but observation of thin-section images without utilization of image-processing techniques dose not improve diagnostic accuracy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Tokushima University Medical and Dental Hospital, Tokushima, Japan

    Kazuhide Yoneda, Naomi Morita & Kaori Furutani

  2. Department of Radiology, Tokushima Prefectural Central Hospital, Tokushima, Japan

    Kazuhide Yoneda

  3. Department of Radiologic Technology, University of Tokushima, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-Cho, Tokushima, 770-8509, Japan

    Junji Ueno & Sadamitsu Nishihara

  4. Biomedical Imaging Research Center, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan

    Tetsuya Tsujikawa

  5. Department of Radiology, Institute of Health Biosciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan

    Hideki Otsuka & Hiromu Nishitani

  6. Department of Oncological and Regenerative Surgery, Institute of Health Biosciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan

    Kazuya Kondo

  7. Department of Internal Medicine and Molecular Therapeutics, Institute of Health Biosciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan

    Yasuhiko Nishioka

Authors
  1. Kazuhide Yoneda
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  2. Junji Ueno
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  3. Sadamitsu Nishihara
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  4. Tetsuya Tsujikawa
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  5. Naomi Morita
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  6. Hideki Otsuka
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  7. Kaori Furutani
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  8. Hiromu Nishitani
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  9. Kazuya Kondo
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  10. Yasuhiko Nishioka
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sadamitsu Nishihara.

Additional information

This article was presented at the 2005 Japan Radiological Society annual meeting

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Yoneda, K., Ueno, J., Nishihara, S. et al. Postprocessing technique with MDCT data improves the accuracy of the detection of lung nodules. Radiat Med 25, 511–515 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-007-0176-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-007-0176-9

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