Shin Matsuoka1, Tsuneo Yamashiro2, Shoichiro Matsushita3, Akiyuki Kotoku3, Atsuko Fujikawa3, Kunihiro Yagihashi3, Hayato Tomita3, Shingo Sakamoto3, Yuki Saito3, Shinji Saruya3, Yasuo Nakajima3. 1. Department of Radiology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, 2-16-1 Sugao, Miyamae-Ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 216-8511, Japan. Electronic address: shin4114@mac.com. 2. Department of Radiology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, 2-16-1 Sugao, Miyamae-Ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 216-8511, Japan; Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, University of the Ryukyu. 3. Department of Radiology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, 2-16-1 Sugao, Miyamae-Ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 216-8511, Japan.
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Cross-sectional area <5 mm(2) (CSA<5) is a computed tomography (CT) metric that has been used for the evaluation of pulmonary vessel alterations and perfusion. CSA<5 is calculated from three axial slices; thus, whether CSA<5 represents the small pulmonary vessel alterations in the whole lung remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare the measurements of CSA<5 using three axial slices and coronal reconstructed slices in the relationship between the measured CSA<5 and pulmonary perfusion measured using lung perfusion scintigraphy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study comprised 28 subjects who underwent both noncontrast CT and lung perfusion scintigraphy. The present study measured CSA<5 using both three axial CT images and coronal reconstruction images and then obtained the percentage of the CSA in right lung to that in whole lung (R/W-CSA<5). Using anteroposterior and posteroanterior projections on technetium-99m macroaggregated albumin (MAA) lung perfusion scintigraphy, we obtained right and total lung counts and calculated the percentage of the right to whole lung counts (R/W-MAA). The correlations of the R/W-CSA<5 calculated using three axial slices (R/W-CSA(A)x<5) and coronal reconstructed slices (R/W-CSA(COR)<5) with R/W-MAA were evaluated using Spearman rank correlation analysis. RESULTS: Both R/W-CSA(Ax)<5 and R/W-CSA(COR)<5 were significantly correlated with R/W-MAA; however, the correlation coefficient with R/W-CSA(COR)<5 (ρ = 0.842, P < .0001) was greater than that with R/W-CSA(Ax)<5 (ρ = 0.631, P = .0004). CONCLUSIONS: Coronal reconstruction images appear suitable for quantitative measurement of CSA of small pulmonary vessels.
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Cross-sectional area <5 mm(2) (CSA<5) is a computed tomography (CT) metric that has been used for the evaluation of pulmonary vessel alterations and perfusion. CSA<5 is calculated from three axial slices; thus, whether CSA<5 represents the small pulmonary vessel alterations in the whole lung remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare the measurements of CSA<5 using three axial slices and coronal reconstructed slices in the relationship between the measured CSA<5 and pulmonary perfusion measured using lung perfusion scintigraphy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study comprised 28 subjects who underwent both noncontrast CT and lung perfusion scintigraphy. The present study measured CSA<5 using both three axial CT images and coronal reconstruction images and then obtained the percentage of the CSA in right lung to that in whole lung (R/W-CSA<5). Using anteroposterior and posteroanterior projections on technetium-99m macroaggregated albumin (MAA) lung perfusion scintigraphy, we obtained right and total lung counts and calculated the percentage of the right to whole lung counts (R/W-MAA). The correlations of the R/W-CSA<5 calculated using three axial slices (R/W-CSA(A)x<5) and coronal reconstructed slices (R/W-CSA(COR)<5) with R/W-MAA were evaluated using Spearman rank correlation analysis. RESULTS: Both R/W-CSA(Ax)<5 and R/W-CSA(COR)<5 were significantly correlated with R/W-MAA; however, the correlation coefficient with R/W-CSA(COR)<5 (ρ = 0.842, P < .0001) was greater than that with R/W-CSA(Ax)<5 (ρ = 0.631, P = .0004). CONCLUSIONS: Coronal reconstruction images appear suitable for quantitative measurement of CSA of small pulmonary vessels.