Clinical and imaging characteristics of 108 lung isolated ground-glass opacity

Objective To investigate the clinical and computed tomography （CT） features of lung isolated ground-glass opaci- ty and to analyze the predictive factors that may discriminate benign from malignant nodules. Methods Clinical features, CT charac- teristics, pathological diagnosis, and the follow-up results were retrospectively analyzed with 108 cases of isolated ground-grass opacity （GGO） that was confirmed by histopathology from January 2011 to March 2013. Results A total of 108 isolated GGOs [52 men,56 women,mean age （58. 12 ＋ 10. 34）years] included 19 benign nodules and 89 malignant nodules. The diversity of age, gender, clini- cal symptom, margin （speculation, spineqike process）, internal characteristics （ovule sign, air bronchograms） of the lesions were no statistically significant differences between benign and malignant GGOs （ P 〉 0. 05）. The lymphocyte and CT findings of shape, lobu- lation, interface （ill/well defined） and pleural indentation sign were significantly different between benign and malignant GGOs （ P 〈 0. 05）. Besides significant difference in pleural indentation sign was also found between bronchioalveolar carcinoma and adenocarcino- ma （ P =0. 0252）. Among the 44 patients who were followed up after finding GGO initially, there were 7 GGOs （7/44,15.91%） to grow up after 3years, and GGOs of 32 patients had no obvious change, besides the patients＇age of malignant GGO was bigger than the benign（ P =0. 0416）. Conclusions Clinical features were of little value to discriminate the benign from malignant GGOs. CT fea- tures including round/oval shape, lobulation, and well defined and pleural indentation sign were of important value in the diagnosis of malignant GGO. Surgical resection should be applied in the process of follow-up when the sizes of GGO become bigger or newly formed solid components were detected. GGO that cant be diagnosed should be followed up for at least 3 years. Key words: Lung/radiography;  Lung/pathology;  Tomography, X-ray computed;  Follow-up studies