Journal of thoracic imaging
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The aim of this study was to analyze the impact that a clinical history of an oncologic disease may have on the management decisions for incidentally detected lung nodules on chest computed tomographic (CT) examinations. ⋯ In patients with a history of oncologic disease, radiologists tend to report every detected nodule and to routinely recommend follow-up CT examinations. Although most radiologists rely on "experience and common sense" in managing these nodules, greater standardization of lung nodule management in oncologic patients is needed, ideally through guidelines tailored to this patient population.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of Total Lung Capacity Determined by Plethysmography With Computed Tomographic Segmentation Using CALIPER.
Traditionally, determination of total lung capacity (TLC) by plethysmography (TLCpleth) has been important in the diagnosis of lung diseases. Alternatively, data acquired from computerized tomography (CT) can be utilized to calculate a measure of TLC (TLCCT). The clinical utility of TLCCT is not certain. We sought to determine, in a clinical setting, whether TLCCT correlates with TLCpleth across a range of lung diseases and scanning techniques. In addition, we determined whether TLCCT affects the interpretation of pulmonary function tests. ⋯ In a clinical setting, CT segmentation analysis provides a favorable determination of TLC compared with traditional plethysmography. The technique has general applicability across varying CT data acquisition protocols, lung diseases, and patient characteristics. TLCCT may substitute for TLCpleth in pulmonary function interpretation and may be preferable for some patients in whom plethysmography is difficult to perform, such as transplant subjects with severe pulmonary fibrosis.
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Left heart disease is associated with left atrial enlargement and is a common cause of pulmonary hypertension (PH). We investigated the relationship between left atrium maximal axial cross-sectional area (LA-MACSA), as measured on chest computed tomography (CT), and PH due to left heart disease (World Health Organization group 2) in patients with right heart catheterization-proven PH. ⋯ LA-MACSA is a readily obtainable and reproducible measurement of left atrial enlargement on CT and can distinguish between group 2 and nongroup 2 PH with high specificity.