Differentiation of adenocarcinoma in situ with alveolar collapse from minimally invasive adenocarcinoma or invasive adenocarcinoma appearing as part-solid ground-glass nodules (≤ 2 cm) using computed tomography

To investigate the differentiating computed tomographic (CT) features between adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) with alveolar collapse and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) or invasive adenocarcinoma (IA) appearing as part-solid nodules.

A total of 147 consecutive patients with 157 pathology-confirmed part-solid ground-glass nodules (GGNs) ≤ 20 mm without other pathological condition such as inflammation and fibrosis who underwent chest CT were included.

The 157 part-solid GGNs included 33 (21.02%) pathologically confirmed AISs with alveolar collapse. Multivariate analysis revealed that smaller lesion size (odds ratio [OR] 0.671), and well-defined border (OR 5.544), concentrated distribution (OR 7.994), and homogeneity of the solid portion (OR 4.365) were significant independent predictors for differentiating AIS with alveolar collapse from MIA (P < 0.05) with excellent accuracy (area under receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve, 0.902). Multivariate analysis revealed that smaller lesion size (OR 0.782), and size (OR 0.821), well-defined border (OR 5.752), and homogeneity of solid portion (OR 6.182) were significant independent predictors differentiating AIS with alveolar collapse from IA (P < 0.05) with excellent accuracy (area under ROC curve 0.910).

Among part-solid GGNs, AIS with alveolar collapse can be accurately differentiated from MIA on the basis of smaller lesion size, well-defined border, concentrated distribution, and homogeneity of solid portion, and from IA according to smaller lesion size, and smaller size, well-defined border, and homogeneity of solid portion.