A novel application of pulmonary transit time to differentiate between benign and malignant pulmonary nodules using myocardial contrast echocardiography

AbstractMalignant pulmonary nodules (PNs) are often accompanied by vascular dilatation and structural abnormalities. Pulmonary transit time (PTT) measurement by contrast echocardiograghy has used to assess the cardiopulmonary function and pulmonary vascular status, such as hepatopulmonary syndrome and pulmonary arteriovenous fistula, but has not yet been attempted in  the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of PNs. The aim of this work was to evaluate the feasibility and performance of myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) for differentiating malignant PNs from benign ones. The study population consisted of 201 participant: 66 healthy participants, 65 pat ients with benign PNs and 70 patients with malignant PNs. Their clinical and conventional echocardiographic characteristics were collected. MCE with measurements of PTT were performed. There was no difference in age, sex, heart rate, blood pressure, smoking rate, background lung disease, pulmonary f unction, ECG, myocardial enzymes, cardiac size and function among the healthy participant, patients with benign and malignant PNs (P >  0.05). PTT did not differ significantly in patients with PNs of different sizes, nor did they differ in patients with PNs of different enhancement patterns (P >  0.05). However, the PTT were far shorter (about one half) in patients with malignant PNs than in patients with benign ones (1.88 ± 0.37 vs. 3.73 ± 0.35,P <  0.001). There was no significantly differe...
Source: The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging - Category: Radiology Source Type: research