Dual-energy CT in differential diagnostics of solitary pulmonary nodules

Abstract

The dual-energy computed tomography was performed for scanning of 95 peripheral pulmonary nodules up to 3 cm in a diameter without any visible petrification and cavities. The purpose of the study was a quantitative evaluation of diffusely located calcium contents. All the patients were divided into 3 groups. The first group included patients with nodules which did not change their density or changed it by ±10 HU. The patients whose nodules’ density grew by 10—25 HU were included in the 2-nd group. The third group was formed by patients whose nodules’ density increased more than by 25 HU. The measurements were carried out before the morphological data reception. Among 40 patients of the 1st group malignant neoplasm was revealed in 37 persons and benign tumor was in 3 persons. Among 21 patients of the 2-nd group 13 persons had malignant neoplasm and 8 of them had benign nodules. All the patients of the 3-rd group had benign lung formations. These data allow the given technique to be recommended for selection of patients who need morphological verification of pulmonary nodules origin.