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Value of axial and coronal maximum intensity projection (MIP) images in the detection of pulmonary nodules by multislice spiral CT: comparison with axial 1-mm and 5-mm slices

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of non-overlapping 10-mm axial and coronal maximum intensity projections (MIP) in comparison with standard axial 1-mm and 5-mm slices in the detection of pulmonary nodules. Sixty patients with suspected nodules who underwent multislice spiral CT of the chest were evaluated. Axial 1-mm and 5-mm slices as well as non-overlapping 10-mm axial/coronal MIPs were interpreted independently by three blinded radiologists. After initial review, a retrospective consensus session was performed for agreement on final nodule counts using the axial 1-mm slices as gold standard. Small nodules of less than 5 mm in size were most accurately detected by the axial MIPs. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of these small nodules showed that 5-mm slices were not capable of a statistically significant differentiation of nodules from other focal lesions in two observers (p=0.034 and p=0.012, respectively) whereas 1-mm slices and coronal/axial MIPs did allow a statistically significant differentiation in all observers (p<0.001). Nodules larger than 5 mm were equally well depicted with all modalities. Non-overlapping 10-mm axial MIPs improve the accuracy in the detection of small pulmonary nodules.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Klinik für Strahlenheilkunde, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Ray Valencia, Timm Denecke, Lukas Lehmkuhl, Frank Fischbach, Roland Felix & Friedrich Knollmann

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  1. Ray Valencia
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  2. Timm Denecke
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  3. Lukas Lehmkuhl
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  4. Frank Fischbach
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  5. Roland Felix
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  6. Friedrich Knollmann
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Correspondence to Ray Valencia.

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Valencia, R., Denecke, T., Lehmkuhl, L. et al. Value of axial and coronal maximum intensity projection (MIP) images in the detection of pulmonary nodules by multislice spiral CT: comparison with axial 1-mm and 5-mm slices. Eur Radiol 16, 325–332 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-005-2871-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-005-2871-1

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