Ex-vivo injection technique for implanting solid pulmonary nodules into porcine lungs for multi-slice CT.

Abstract

PURPOSE: To develop a method for generating realistic pulmonary nodules that equal small pulmonary metastases and granulomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 70 artificial lesions were introduced into 5 inflated porcine lungs inside a dedicated chest phantom by high pressure injection of a fat-wax-Lipiodol mixture and scanned with 16-slice computed tomography (CT). Image evaluation by two experienced radiologists included analysis of morphology, nodule size and density. RESULTS: The median nodule density was 78.8 Hounsfield units (HU), with 54 of 70 nodules (77.14 %) judged typical of small lung metastases. CONCLUSION: Without inducing visible damage of lung parenchyma, the injection technique produces highly realistic pulmonary nodules for morphometry or nodule detection with CT.