Abstract:
Objective To analyze the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) threshold to distinguish benign and malignant solitary pulmonary cavity (SPV) and the efficacy of the comprehensive imaging analysis of SPV.
Methods The clinical data of 56 patients with SPV who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT, thin slice spiral CT, and enhanced CT in Xiamen University Zhongshan Hospital from October 2015 to October 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients included 43 males and 13 females aged 41–82 (54.7±13.4) years old. By constructing and analyzing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the optimal SUVmax threshold was calculated, and its diagnostic efficiency was evaluated. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and the accuracy rate of 18F-FDG PET/CT, thin slice spiral CT, enhanced CT, and the comprehensive imaging analysis (comprehensive evaluation of the diagnostic results of the three imaging methods) of benign and malignant SPV were calculated based on the results of the histopathological examination and follow-up along with clinical data. Independent sample t-test was used to compare measurement data, and chi-square test was used to compare counting data.
Results Among the 56 patients with SPV, 39 cases had malignant lesions (69.6%), SUVmax=7.04±2.3, and 17 cases had benign lesions (30.4%), SUVmax=5.91±2.17. No significant difference was found in SUVmax between benign and malignant lesions (t=1.714, P=0.092). ROC curve analysis shows that the optimal critical value of SUVmax was 7.05, the area under the ROC curve was 0.652, and the 95% confidence interval was in the range 0.494–0.809. When SUVmax=7.05, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and the accuracy rate were 46.2% (18/39), 82.4% (14/17), 85.7% (18/21), 40.0% (14/35), and 57.1% (32/56), respectively. The sensitivity rates of comprehensive imaging analysis, PET/CT, thin slice spiral CT, and enhanced CT in the diagnosis of SPV were 94.9% (37/39), 76.9% (30/39), 82.1% (32/39), and 71.8% (28/39); the specificity rates were 76.5% (13/17), 64.7% (11 /17), 35.3% (6/17), and 76.5% (13/17); the PPVs were 90.2% (37/41), 83.3% (30/36), 74.4% (32/43), and 87.5% (28/32); the NPVs were 86.7% (13/15), 55.0% (11/20), 46.2% (6/13), and 54.2% (13/ 24); and the diagnostic accuracy rates were 89.3% (50/56), 73.2% (41/56), 67.9% (38/56), and 73.2% (41/56), respectively.
Conclusions SUVmax has a limited value in differentiating benign and malignant SPV. Comprehensive imaging analysis helps improve the diagnostic accuracy of SPV.