Construction of Pulmonary Nodule CT Radiomics Random Forest Model Based on Artificial Intelligence Software for STAS Evaluation of Stage IA Lung Adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE: Spread through air space (STAS) is an invasive characterization of lung adenocarcinoma and is regarded as a risk factor for poor prognosis. The aim of this study is to develop a random forest model for preoperative prediction of spread through air spaces (STAS) in stage IA lung adenocarcinoma. METHODS: 92 patients with stage IA lung adenocarcinoma, who underwent computed tomography (CT) scan and surgical resection, were retrospectively reviewed. Each pulmonary nodule was automatically segmented by artificial intelligence (AI) software, and its CT-based radiomics were extracted. All patients were pathologically classified into STAS-negative and STAS-positive cohorts; then, clinical pathological and CT-based radiomics were compared between the two cohorts. Finally, a prediction model for evaluating STAS status in stage IA lung adenocarcinoma was established by a random forest model. RESULTS: Among 92 patients with stage IA lung adenocarcinoma, STAS positive was identified in 19 patients. The random forest classification model identified predictive features, including CT maximum value, consolidation to tumor ratio (CTR), 3D diameter, CT mean value, entropy, and CT minimum value. The misclassification rate of the random forest model is only 7.69%. CONCLUSION: The risk factors of STAS in stage IA lung adenocarcinoma can be effectively identified based on the random forest model, and the hierarchical management of characteristic risk can be effectively realized. A random forest model for predicting STAS in IA lung adenocarcinoma is simple and practical.