Are Lung Imaging Reporting and Data System Categories Clear to Radiologists? A Survey of the Korean Society of Thoracic Radiology Members on Ten Difficult-to-Classify Scenarios

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate possible variability in chest radiologists' interpretations of the Lung Imaging Reporting and Data System (Lung-RADS) on difficult-to-classify scenarios. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten scenarios of difficult-to-classify imaginary lung nodules were prepared as an online survey that targeted Korean Society of Thoracic Radiology members. In each question, a description was provided of the size, consistency, and interval change (new or growing) of a lung nodule observed using annual repeat computed tomography, and the respondent was instructed to choose one answer from five choices: category 2, 3, 4A, or 4B, or “un-categorizable.” Consensus answers were established by members of the Korean Imaging Study Group for Lung Cancer. RESULTS: Of the 420 answers from 42 respondents (excluding multiple submissions), 310 (73.8%) agreed with the consensus answers; eleven (26.2%) respondents agreed with the consensus answers to six or fewer questions. Assigning the imaginary nodules to categories higher than the consensus answer was more frequent (16.0%) than assigning them to lower categories (5.5%), and the agreement rate was below 50% for two scenarios. CONCLUSION: When given difficult-to-classify scenarios, chest radiologists showed large variability in their interpretations of the Lung-RADS categories, with high frequencies of disagreement in some specific scenarios.

Clinical Features and Radiological Findings of Adenovirus Pneumonia Associated with Progression to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Single Center Study in 19 Adult Patients

OBJECTIVE: To describe radiologic findings of adenovirus pneumonia and to understand clinico-radiological features associated with progression to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in patients with adenovirus pneumonia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 19 patients diagnosed with adenovirus pneumonia at a tertiary referral center, in the period between March 2003 and April 2015. Clinical findings were reviewed, and two radiologists assessed imaging findings by consensus. Chi-square, Fisher's exact, and Student's t tests were used for comparing patients with and without subsequent development of ARDS. RESULTS: Of 19 patients, nine were immunocompromised, and 10 were immunocompetent. Twelve patients (63%) progressed to ARDS, six of whom (32%) eventually died from the disease. The average time for progression to ARDS from symptom onset was 9.6 days. Initial chest radiographic findings were normal (n = 2), focal opacity (n = 9), or multifocal or diffuse opacity (n = 8). Computed tomography (CT) findings included bilateral (n = 17) or unilateral (n = 2) ground-glass opacity with consolidation (n = 14) or pleural effusion (n = 11). Patients having subsequent ARDS had a higher probability of pleural effusion and a higher total CT extent compared with the non-ARDS group (p = 0.010 and 0.007, respectively). However, there were no significant differences in clinical variables such as patient age and premorbid condition. CONCLUSION: Adenovirus pneumonia demonstrates high rates of ARDS and mortality, regardless of patient age and premorbid conditions, in the tertiary care setting. Large disease extent and presence of pleural effusion on CT are factors suggestive of progression to ARDS.

Radiofrequency Ablation of Benign Thyroid Nodules and Recurrent Thyroid Cancers: Consensus Statement and Recommendations

Thermal ablation using radiofrequency is a new, minimally invasive modality employed as an alternative to surgery in patients with benign thyroid nodules and recurrent thyroid cancers. The Task Force Committee of the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology has developed recommendations for the optimal use of radiofrequency ablation for thyroid nodules. These recommendations are based on a comprehensive analysis of the current literature, the results of multicenter studies, and expert consensus.

Radiofrequency Ablation of Benign Thyroid Nodules and Recurrent Thyroid Cancers: Consensus Statement and Recommendations

Radiofrequency ablation is a new non-surgical treatment modality for patients with benign thyroid nodules and recurrent thyroid cancers. The Task Force Committee of the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology has developed recommendations for the treatment of benign thyroid nodules and recurrent thyroid cancers using radiofrequency ablation. These recommendations are based on evidence from the current literature and expert consensus.

Benign Phyllodes Tumor Mimicking a Malignancy in a Turner Syndrome Woman with Hormone Replacement Therapy: A Case Report

Phyllodes tumor of the breast is a relatively rare fibroepithelial tumor. Turner syndrome is a condition that affects approximately 50 per 100,000 females and includes total or partial absence of one X chromosome in all or part of the cells, reduced final height, absence of female sex hormone, and infertility. In this case report, we describe the first case of a benign phyllodes tumor mimicking a malignancy at breast US in a 26-year-old woman with Turner syndrome who had been undergoing hormone replacement therapy.

1024 Matrix Image Reconstruction: Usefulness in High Resolution chest CT

PURPOSE: We tried to evaluate whether high resolution chest CT with a 1,024 matrix has a significant advantage in image quality compared to a 512 matrix. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Each set of 512 and 1024 matrix high resolution chest CT scans with both 0.625 mm and 1.25 mm slice thickness were obtained from 26 patients. Seventy locations that contained twenty-four low density lesions without sharp boundary such as emphysema, and forty-six sharp linear densities such as linear fibrosis were selected; these were randomly displayed on a five mega pixel LCD monitor. All the images were masked for information concerning the matrix size and slice thickness. Two chest radiologists scored the image quality of each arrowed lesion as follows: (1) undistinguishable, (2) poorly distinguishable, (3) fairly distinguishable, (4) well visible and (5) excellently visible. The scores were compared from the the aspects of matrix size, slice thickness and the different observers by using ANOVA tests. RESULTS: The average and standard deviation of image quality were 3.09 (+/-.92) for the 0.625 mmx512 matrix, 3.16 (+/-.84) for the 0.625 mmx1024 matrix, 2.49 (+/-1.02) for the 1.25 mmx512 matrix, and 2.35 (+/-1.02) for the 1.25 mmx1024 matrix, respectively. The image quality on both matrices of the high resolution chest CT scans with a 0.625 mm slice thickness was significantly better than that on the 1.25 mm slice thickness (p < 0.001). However, the image quality on the 1024 matrix high resolution chest CT scans was not significantly different from that on the 512 matrix high resolution chest CT scans (p = 0.678). The interobserver variation between the two observers was not significant (p = 0.691). CONCLUSION: We think that 1024 matrix image reconstruction for high resolution chest CT may not be clinically useful.

Lung Cancer Screening with Low-Dose Helical CT in Korea: Experiences at the Samsung Medical Center

To determine overall detection rates of lung cancer by low-dose CT (LDCT) screening and to compare histopathologic and imaging differences of detected cancers between high- and low-risk groups, this study included 6,406 asymptomatic Korean adults with >or=45 yr of age who underwent LDCT for lung cancer screening. All were classified into high- (>or=20 pack-year smoking; 3,353) and low-risk (3,053; <20 pack-yr smoking and non-smokers) groups. We compared CT findings of detected cancers and detection rates between high- and low-risk. At initial CT, 35% (2,255 of 6,406) had at least one or more non-calcified nodule. Lung cancer detection rates were 0.36% (23 of 6,406). Twenty-one non-small cell lung cancers appeared as solid (n=14) or ground-glass opacity (GGO) (n=7) nodules. Cancer likelihood was higher in GGO nodules than in solid nodules (p<0.01). Fifteen of 23 cancers occurred in high-risk group and 8 in low-risk group (p=0.215). Therefore, LDCT screening help detect early stage of lung cancer in asymptomatic Korean population with detection rate of 0.36% on a population basis and may be useful for discovering early lung cancer in low-risk group as well as in high-risk group.

Three Dimensional Digital Rotational Imaging in the Evaluation of the Fractures

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness and the application of three dimensional digital rotational imaging (3D DRI) by the evaluation of fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients with clinically diagnosed or suspicious fracture were involved in this study. The lesion or suspicious sites of all 16 cases were spines (n=7), pelvis (n=3) and so on (n=6; knee, elbow, ankle, wrist and foot). In all cases, conventional radiography, multiplanar 2D (slice thickness/pitch=3 or 5 mm/1:1)and volume rendering 3D reconstructed single detector helical CT (HiSpeed Advantage, GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, WIS) scans and 3D DRI (Integris V-5000,Philips Medical Systems, The Netherlands) with multiplanar intersection and gray scaling as postprocessing technique were performed. 3D DRI was evaluated and compared with conventional radiography, multiplanar 2D CT and volume rendering 3D CT. RESULTS: 3D DRI provided more detail and additional information in 14 cases (88%), comparing with 2D and 3D CT scans. Two fractures were revealed only on 3D DRI other than conventional radiography and CT scans and one case was revealed on 2D CT and 3D DRI. In all cases, we could acquired more detail and additional information from 3D DRI than from 3D CT in the acquisition of 3D imaging. 3D DRI didn't change the classification of fracture in 12 of 13 cases (92%),which revealed the fracture on the conventional radiography or CT. CONCLUSION: 3D DRI can diagnose and evaluate the fracture rapidly and easily with anatomical and spatial resolution by acquisition of 3D imaging with postprocessing using DRI.