Detection of pulmonary metastases with pathological correlation : effect of breathing on the accuracy of spiral CT

• Published in: Pediatric radiology 1997-07, Vol.27 (7), p.576-579
• Main Authors: COAKLEY, F. V, COHEN, M. D, WATERS, D. J, DAVIS, M. M, KARMAZYN, B, GONIN, R, HANNA, M. P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Bone Neoplasms - pathology; Dogs; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Lung Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Lung Neoplasms - secondary; Medical sciences; Osteosarcoma - diagnostic imaging; Osteosarcoma - pathology; Osteosarcoma - secondary; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Respiration; Respiratory system; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods
• ISSN: 0301-0449; 1432-1998
• DOI: 10.1007/s002470050185

CT of the chest for suspected pulmonary metastases in adults is generally performed using a breath-hold technique. The results may not be applicable to young children in whom breath-holding may be impossible. Determine the effect of breathing on the accuracy of pulmonary metastasis detection by spiral CT (SCT). Prior to euthanasia four anesthetized dogs with metastatic osteosarcoma underwent SCT with a collimation of 5 mm and a pitch of 2, during both induced breath-hold and normal quiet breathing. Images were reconstructed as contiguous 5-mm slices. Macroscopically evident metastases were noted at postmortem. Hard-copy SCT images were reviewed by ten radiologists, each of whom circled all suspected metastases. SCT images were compared with postmortem results to determine true and false positives. The pathologist identified 132 macroscopically evident pulmonary metastases. For metastasis detection, there was no significant difference between breath-hold SCT and breathing SCT. In our animal model, SCT can be performed during normal resting breathing without significant loss of accuracy in the detection of pulmonary metastases.