The clinical utility of high resolution 3D-CT in the pleural/pulmonary diseases

Objective: To demonstrate the pleuro-pulmonary disease on high resolution 3D image using volume/surface rendering method and multi-collar display segmentation with/without fly-through cross section images. Materials and Methods: Sixty-one patients (31 men and 30 women; mean 56.6 years old) were examined by thin slice (0.5- 2mm) HRCT, and then the high-resolution 3D volume/surface rendering images were constructed. We compared these HRCT with 3D multi-collar display segmentation with/without fly-through cross section images with conventional volume/surface rendering 3D images. Results: Visceral pleural involvements by interstitial pneumonia (NSIP, UIP, CVD-IP, CPFE) were clearly displayed. In honeycombing lung or bullous emphysema, the bulging pleural lesions were present and the depression of the pleura by the chest wall or parietal pleural lesions were also demonstrated. The interlobar fissure lines and the inter/peri-lobular septal thickenings were more clearly observed in patients with congestive heart failure or lymphoproliferative disorder compared with conventional CT. The intralobular interstitial thickenings was clearly observed in patients with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis, NSIP, and UIP. Conclusion. The detectability rate of pleural lesions, such as visceral pleural lesions in interstitial pneumonia were significantly better on high resolution 3D-CT thanthe conventional 2D, 3D-CT statistically.