Quantification of Perinodular Emphysema in High-risk Patients Offers No Benefit in Lung Nodule Risk-Stratification of Malignancy Potential.

PURPOSE: Pulmonary nodules, found either incidentally or on lung cancer screening, are common. Evaluating the benign or malignant nature of these nodules is costly in terms of patient risk and expense. The presence of both global and regional emphysema has been linked to increased lung cancer risk. We sought to determine whether the measurement of emphysema directly adjacent to a lung nodule could inform the likelihood of a nodule being malignant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Within a population of Veterans at high risk for lung cancer, 58 subjects with malignant nodules found on computerized tomographic chest scans were matched by lobe and nodule size to 58 controls. Lung densitometry was measured via determination of the low attenuation area percentage at -950 Hounsfield units (LAA950) and the Hounsfield unit (HU) value at which 15% of lung voxels have a lower lung density (Perc15), at predefined lung volumes that encompassed the nodule to evaluate both perinodular and regional lung fields. The association between measured lung density and malignancy was investigated using conditional logistic regression models, with densitometry measurements used as the primary predictor, adjusting for age alone, or age and computerized tomographic scan characteristics. RESULTS: No significant differences in emphysema measurements between malignant and benign nodules were identified at lung volumes encompassing both perinodular and regional emphysema. Furthermore, emphysema quantification remained stable across lung volumes within individuals. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, quantifying the degree of perinodular or regional emphysema did not offer any benefit in the risk stratification of lung nodules.

Initial results of a lung cancer screening demonstration project: a local program evaluation.

OBJECTIVES: To describe participation rates, results, and lessons learned from a lung cancer screening (LCS) demonstration project. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational study at 1 of 8 centers participating in a national Veterans Health Administration LCS demonstration project. METHODS: An electronic health record (EHR) algorithm and tobacco pack-year (TPY) information prompt identified patients potentially eligible for LCS. LCS invitation was planned to consist of shared decision-making materials, an invitation letter to call the LCS manager, a reminder letter, and an outreach phone call for nonresponders. The outreach call was subsequently dropped due to time constraints on the LCS manager. Lung nodules and incidental findings on LCS low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) were recorded in templated radiology reports and tracked with EHR notes. RESULTS: Of 6133 potentially eligible patients, we identified 1388 patients with eligible TPY information: 918 were invited for LCS and 178 (19%) completed LCS. LCS completion was more likely in patients in the mailing-plus-call outreach group (phase I) compared with the mail-only group (phase II) (22% vs 9%; P <.001). Among those completing an LDCT, 61% had lung nodules requiring follow-up: 43% of the nodules were less than 4 mm in diameter, 12 patients required further diagnostic evaluation, and 2 had lung malignancies. There were 179 incidental LDCT findings in 116 patients, and 20% were clinically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Important considerations in LCS are accurate identification of eligible patients, balancing invitation approaches with resource constraints, and establishing standardized methods for tracking numerous small lung nodules and incidental findings detected by LDCT.

Adherence to diagnostic guidelines of hepatocellular carcinoma: 12-year experience in a veterans affairs medical center.

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive diagnostic criteria for cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were first established in 2001 by the European Association for the Study of the Liver. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate adherence to the HCC diagnostic algorithm over time and identify factors associated with nonadherence. METHODS: Between 2001 and 2013, 224 consecutive cirrhotic HCC cases were retrospectively reviewed. Nonadherent biopsy (NAB) was defined as cases diagnosed either by biopsy despite meeting noninvasive criteria for HCC or by biopsy in place of an optional second imaging modality. Nonadherent nonbiopsy (NANB) was defined as cases diagnosed without performing biopsy when noninvasive criteria were not met. Factors associated with nonadherence were identified using multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Nonadherence rate decreased from 52 to 30% over the study period (P = 0.003). Among all patients, there were 34% NAB and 13% NANB cases. Compared with the adherence group, both NAB and NANB groups were likely to undergo only computed tomography scanning [odds ratio (OR) 3.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.71-5.66 and OR 3.18, 95% CI 1.28-8.27, respectively] and were less likely to undergo MRI (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.16-0.53 and OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.10-0.66, respectively). In addition, the NAB group was less likely to be presented in a multidisciplinary tumor conference (OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.02-0.61). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to report adherence to HCC diagnostic guidelines over time in a veteran hospital. Despite overall improvement, nonadherence at the present time is still high (∼ 30%). Underutilization of MRI and the multidisciplinary tumor conference is associated with nonadherence, representing a potential area for improvement.