Rationale of Using Dynamic Imaging for Characterization of Suspicious Lung Masses into Benign or Malignant on Contrast Enhanced Multi Detector Computed Tomography

OBJECTIVES: To assess the utility of dynamic imaging namely, wash-in and wash-out characteristics through multidetector contrast-enhanced computed tomography in differentiating benign and malignant pulmonary masses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-three patients who were suspected to have malignant pulmonary mass on the basis of clinical symptoms and chest radiograph were included in the study. All the patients underwent multidetector computed tomography scanning, and three series of images were obtained for each patient-noncontrast, early enhanced, and 15 min delayed enhanced scans. Computed tomography (CT) findings were assessed in terms of washin, absolute, and relative percentage washout of contrast. Biopsy of the mass was done and sent for histopathological evaluation. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under curve for diagnosing malignancy in the lung masses were calculated by considering both the wash-in and wash-out characteristics at dynamic CT and plotting the receiver operating curve after the final diagnosis which was obtained by histopathological evaluation. RESULTS: Threshold net enhancement (washin) value of >22.5 HU had sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of 88.5%, 57.1%, and 82%, respectively, in predicting malignancy. Threshold relative percentage washout of <16.235% had 98.1%, 85.7%, and 94% sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy, respectively, and threshold absolute percentage washout of <42.72% had 98.1%, 95.2%, and 95% sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy, respectively, in predicting malignancy. CONCLUSION: Threshold net enhancement (washin), absolute and relative washout percentages can be used to predict malignancy with very high diagnostic yield, and possibly obviate the need of invasive procedures for diagnosis of bronchogenic carcinoma.