Three-dimensional computed tomographic volumetry precisely predicts the postoperative pulmonary function

• Published in: Surgery today (Tokyo, Japan) Japan), 2017-11, Vol.47 (11), p.1303-1311
• Main Authors: Kobayashi, Keisuke, Saeki, Yusuke, Kitazawa, Shinsuke, Kobayashi, Naohiro, Kikuchi, Shinji, Goto, Yukinobu, Sakai, Mitsuaki, Sato, Yukio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - methods; Lung - diagnostic imaging; Lung - pathology; Lung - physiopathology; Lung Neoplasms - complications; Lung Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Lung Neoplasms - physiopathology; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Organ Size; Original Article; Postoperative Period; Predictive Value of Tests; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - complications; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - diagnostic imaging; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - physiopathology; Respiratory Function Tests - methods; Surgery; Surgical Oncology; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods
• ISSN: 0941-1291; 1436-2813
• DOI: 10.1007/s00595-017-1505-y

Purpose It is important to accurately predict the patient’s postoperative pulmonary function. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of predictions of the postoperative residual pulmonary function obtained with three-dimensional computed tomographic (3D-CT) volumetry with that of predictions obtained with the conventional segment-counting method. Methods Fifty-three patients scheduled to undergo lung cancer resection, pulmonary function tests, and computed tomography were enrolled in this study. The postoperative residual pulmonary function was predicted based on the segment-counting and 3D-CT volumetry methods. The predicted postoperative values were compared with the results of postoperative pulmonary function tests. Results Regarding the linear correlation coefficients between the predicted postoperative values and the measured values, those obtained using the 3D-CT volumetry method tended to be higher than those acquired using the segment-counting method. In addition, the variations between the predicted and measured values were smaller with the 3D-CT volumetry method than with the segment-counting method. These results were more obvious in COPD patients than in non-COPD patients. Conclusions Our findings suggested that the 3D-CT volumetry was able to predict the residual pulmonary function more accurately than the segment-counting method, especially in patients with COPD. This method might lead to the selection of appropriate candidates for surgery among patients with a marginal pulmonary function.