Prediction of post-operative pulmonary function after lobectomy for primary lung cancer: A comparison among counting method, effective lobar volume, and lobar collapsibility using inspiratory/expiratory CT

Purpose: To compare the predictabilities of postoperative pulmonary function after lobectomy for primary lung cancer among counting method, effective lobar volume, and lobar collapsibility. Methods: Forty-nine patients who underwent lobectomy for primary lung cancer were enrolled. All patients underwent inspiratory/expiratory CT and pulmonary function tests 2 weeks before surgery and postoperative pulmonary function tests 6-7 months after surgery. Pulmonary function losses (Delta FEV1.0 and Delta VC) were calculated from the pulmonary function tests. Predictive postoperative pulmonary function losses (ppo Delta FEV1.0 and ppo Delta VC) were calculated using counting method, effective volume, and lobar collapsibility. Correlations and agreements between AFEV1.0 and ppoFEVto and those between Delta VC and ppo AVC were tested among three methods using Spearman's correlation coefficient and Bland -Altman plots. Results: Delta FEV-Lo and ppo AFEV-L1.0insp-exp were strongly correlated (r = 0.72), whereas Delta FEV1.0 and PPO Delta FEV1.0count and AFEvto and Pred. Delta FEV-(1.0eff.vol.) were moderately correlated (r = 0.50, 0.56). Delta VC and PPO Delta VCeff.vol. (r = 0.71) were strongly correlated, whereas Delta VC and ppo Delta VCcount, and Delta VC and ppo Delta VC (insp-exp) were moderately correlated (r = 0.55, 0.42). Conclusions: Volumetry from inspiratory/expiratory CT data could be useful to predict postoperative pulmonary function after lobectomy for primary lung cancer. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.