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Table 4 Morphological computed tomography (CT), CT texture analysis (CTTA), and 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (FDG PET/CT) parameters for malignant and benign lymph nodes

From: Quantitative computed tomography texture analysis: can it improve diagnostic accuracy to differentiate malignant lymph nodes?

 

Benign

Malignant

P value

Morphological CT parameters, including lymph nodes, n

71

61

 

Location of primary tumor and lymph node

 Ipsilateral

25 (50.7)

40 (65.6)

0.384

 Contralateral

19 (26.8)

12 (19.7)

 Subcarinal

3 (4.2)

2 (3.3)

Short axis diameter, mm

11.2 ± 4.2

15.7 ± 6.3

< 0.0001

Long axis diameter, mm

16.2 ± 5.2

22.2 ± 7.6

< 0.0001

Shape, round

7 (9.9)

10 (16.4)

0.264

Margin, well-defined

64 (90.1)

52 (85.3)

0.390

Noticeability (>  60 HU)

52 (73.2)

38 (62.3)

0.178

CT texture parameters, including lymph nodes

66

51

 

 Area (mm2)

160.3 ± 111.1

338.8 ± 263.5

< 0.0001

 Circularity

0.84 ± 0.07

0.83 ± 0.07

0.358

 Compactness

0.97 ± 0.01

0.98 ± 0.01

0.003

 Roundness

0.76 ± 0.08

0.77 ± 0.07

0.544

 Entropy

6.6 ± 0.5

6.8 ± 0.5

0.142

 Mean HU

69.6 ± 23.5

68.3 ± 23.0

0.774

 Standard deviation (SD)

43.2 ± 19.6

38.0 ± 13.6

0.108

 Normalized SD*

0.19 ± 0.13

0.10 ± 0.08

< 0.0001

 Skewness

−0.00 ± 0.02

0.00 ± 0.02

0.562

 Kurtosis

3.1 ± 0.7

3.2 ± 0.9

0.914

 10th percentile HU

11.8 ± 31.9

19.3 ± 26.3

0.174

 25th percentile HU

41.2 ± 24.7

42.2 ± 23.2

0.816

 50th percentile HU

71.7 ± 23.0

68.1 ± 23.2

0.397

 75th percentile HU

101.0 ± 28.0

94.4 ± 26.4

0.194

 90th percentile HU

125.0 ± 36.3

116.4 ± 32.1

0.185

FDG PET/CT parameter, Included lymph nodes

51

52

 

 SUVmax

3.4 ± 2.4

6.3 ± 3.8

< 0.0001

 SUVPeak

2.7 ± 1.6

5.2 ± 3.1

< 0.0001

 Maximal HU

119.1 ± 283.5

80.4 ± 147.3

0.385

 SUVmax ≥ 2.5 and HU < 70

15 (29.4)

40 (76.9)

< 0.0001

  1. Data presented as n (%) or mean ± standard deviation, unless otherwise indicated
  2. *Normalized standard deviation (SD) is calculated as In(SD)/In(n)[=In(SD)/In(total number of pixels within the region of interest)]
  3. HU, Hounsfield unit; SUV, standard uptake value
  4. HU values obtained from non-enhanced chest CT performed with FDG PET/CT