Moutafidis D, Gavra M, Golfinopoulos S, Kattamis A, Chrousos G, Kanaka-Gantenbein C, Kaditis AG. Low- and High-Attenuation Lung Volume in Quantitative Chest CT in Children without Lung Disease.
CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021;
8:children8121172. [PMID:
34943369 PMCID:
PMC8700567 DOI:
10.3390/children8121172]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In contrast to studies of adults with emphysema, application of fixed thresholds to determine low- and high-attenuation areas (air-trapping and parenchymal lung disease) in pediatric quantitative chest CT is problematic. We aimed to assess age effects on: (i) mean lung attenuation (full inspiration); and (ii) low and high attenuation thresholds (LAT and HAT) defined as mean attenuation and 1 SD below and above mean, respectively. Chest CTs from children aged 6-17 years without abnormalities were retrieved, and histograms of attenuation coefficients were analyzed. Eighty examinations were included. Inverse functions described relationships between age and mean lung attenuation, LAT or HAT (p < 0.0001). Predicted value for LAT decreased from -846 HU in 6-year-old to -950 HU in 13- to 17-year-old subjects (cut-off value for assessing emphysema in adults). %TLCCT with low attenuation correlated with age (rs = -0.31; p = 0.005) and was <5% for 9-17-year-old subjects. Inverse associations were demonstrated between: (i) %TLCCT with high attenuation and age (r2 = 0.49; p < 0.0001); (ii) %TLCCT with low attenuation and TLCCT (r2 = 0.47; p < 0.0001); (iii) %TLCCT with high attenuation and TLCCT (r2 = 0.76; p < 0.0001). In conclusion, quantitative analysis of chest CTs from children without lung disease can be used to define age-specific LAT and HAT for evaluation of pediatric lung disease severity.
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