Optimal Minimum Number of CT Slices Required to Measure Cross Sectional Areas of Small Pulmonary Vessels

Shingo Sakamoto^1*, Shoichiro Matsushita¹, Akiyuki Kotoku¹, Hayato Tomita¹, Yuki Saito¹, Shinji Saruya¹, Shin Matsuoka¹, Tsuneo Yamashiro^1,2, Atsuko Fujikawa¹, Kunihiro Yagihashi¹, Yasuo Nakajima¹

¹Department of Radiology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan.
²Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Japan.

DOI: 10.4236/ojmi.2015.52011                

Abstract

The cross-sectional area (CSA) of small pulmonary vessels can be quantified by CT, which is a reliable method of evaluating vascular alterations in such vessels. However, the optimal number of slices required for accurate quantitation remains unknown. We evaluated relationships among all slices at 10-mm interval and all slices at 3-cm interval, 6-cm interval, and 3-slices and found the closest correlation (0.939) between all slices at 10-mm intervals and 3-cm intervals. Thus, all slices at 3-cm intervals are suitable for accurately measuring CSA.

Keywords

Computed Tomography, Cross-Sectional Area, Pulmonary Vessels, Quantitative Analysis

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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