Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this paper is to find techniques for quantifying radiation lung injury after irradiation with lung involvement to improve an early diagnosis.
Methods: The case of a patient with NSCLC was used to demonstrate different methods in order to quantify a developing pneumopathy after radiation treatment. By means of HRCT studies in the follow-up, a procedure was developed by defining a test-ROI in high-dose areas of the lung and evaluating the corresponding HU-histogramm for the parameters of the lung peak. Changes during the follow-up can be derived from the differential HU-histogram by the determination of a parameter called delta HUrel, which quantifies the shift to higher HU values. Alternatively, a Fourier analysis of the lung pattern within the test-ROI results in a Fourier amplitude distribution, which reacts sensitively to changes during the follow-up. Furthermore, a Fourier-frequency histogram can be derived which is independent of the spatial orientation of the density pattern.
Results: From the HRCT follow-up study, values for delta HUrel can be derived to be 0.24, 0.44, and 0.50 (56, 100 and 422 days after beginning the treatment). The differential Fourier frequency-histogram presentations demonstrate pronounced pattern changes.
Conclusion: The presented methods demonstrate possibilities to quantify radiation lung injury. The proven sensitivity can possibly be improved after the introduction of a breath triggered HRCT technique.
Methods: The case of a patient with NSCLC was used to demonstrate different methods in order to quantify a developing pneumopathy after radiation treatment. By means of HRCT studies in the follow-up, a procedure was developed by defining a test-ROI in high-dose areas of the lung and evaluating the corresponding HU-histogramm for the parameters of the lung peak. Changes during the follow-up can be derived from the differential HU-histogram by the determination of a parameter called delta HUrel, which quantifies the shift to higher HU values. Alternatively, a Fourier analysis of the lung pattern within the test-ROI results in a Fourier amplitude distribution, which reacts sensitively to changes during the follow-up. Furthermore, a Fourier-frequency histogram can be derived which is independent of the spatial orientation of the density pattern.
Results: From the HRCT follow-up study, values for delta HUrel can be derived to be 0.24, 0.44, and 0.50 (56, 100 and 422 days after beginning the treatment). The differential Fourier frequency-histogram presentations demonstrate pronounced pattern changes.
Conclusion: The presented methods demonstrate possibilities to quantify radiation lung injury. The proven sensitivity can possibly be improved after the introduction of a breath triggered HRCT technique.
| Translated title of the contribution | Diagnostic methods for the quantification of radiation injuries of the lungs |
|---|---|
| Original language | German |
| Pages (from-to) | 472-476 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | RoFo Fortschritte auf dem Gebiet der Rontgenstrahlen und der Bildgebenden Verfahren |
| Volume | 172 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2000 |
Keywords
- radiation lung injury
- pneumopathy
- HRCT
- lung