PURPOSE: To evaluate the performance of a commercially available computer-aided detection (CAD) system in a series of pathologically proven lung cancers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-nine chest computed tomography (CT) scans obtained in 12 subjects (8 females, 4 males, age 51 to 75 y, mean 63 y) with 15 pathologically proven lung cancers were retrospectively selected from 2156 entry and follow-up CT scans from a lung cancer screening program. CT scans were retrospectively analyzed using a commercially available CAD system for detecting lung nodules. RESULTS: When first detectable proven lung cancer nodules ranged in maximum diameter from 3 to 38 mm (10.4+/-9.2 mm) with CAD detection sensitivity stratified by size: 0/2 (0%) </=3 mm, 5/8 (62.5%) 4 to 10 mm, 2/3 (66.7%) 11 to 15 mm, 0/0 16 to 20 mm, 2/2 (100%) >20 mm, and overall sensitivity 9/15 (60%). The sensitivity for all CT scans (first detectable and follow-up), stratified by nodule size as above, was, respectively, 0/2, 18/25, 24/28, 6/9, 5/5, and overall 53/69 (76.8%). Excluding nodules <4 mm and pure ground-glass nodules, the sensitivity for all CT scans by size was 18/24 (75%) 4 to 10 mm, 21/22 (95.4%) 11 to 15 mm, 6/6 (100%) 16 to 20 mm, 5/5 (100%) >20 mm, and overall 50/57 (87.7%). At resection (13) or biopsy (2) nodules were: adenocarcinoma (10), squamous cell carcinoma (3), and small cell carcinoma (2). CONCLUSIONS: The CAD system showed good sensitivity for solid and semisolid cancers >/=4 mm (sensitivity 87.7%) and excellent for those >/=11 mm (sensitivity >95.4%).

Godoy MC, Cooperberg PL, Maizlin ZV, Yuan R, McWilliams A, Lam S, Mayo JR.

*Department of Radiology, St Paulʼs Hospital, University of British Columbia †Department of Radiology, Vancouver General Hospital, University of British Columbia ‡Cancer Imaging Department, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.