Quantitative features of dual-energy spectral computed tomography for solid lung adenocarcinoma with and mutations, and rearrangement: a preliminary study.

Background: The present work aimed to evaluate radio-genomic associations of quantitative parameters obtained by dual-energy spectral computed tomography (DESCT) for solid lung adenocarcinoma with epidermal growth factor receptor () and Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog () mutations, as well as anaplastic lymphoma kinase () rearrangement.

Methods: Ninety-six cases of solid lung cancer were selected and assessed for and mutations, and rearrangement. Then, they underwent chest DESCT, and quantitative parameters, including water concentration (WC), iodine concentration (IC), CT value at 70 keV, effective atomic number (Effective-Z) and spectral Hounsfield unit curve slope (λHU slope) were measured. Finally, the associations of quantitative radiological features with various gene alterations were evaluated.

Results: The positive rates were 51.0% (49/96) for , 13.5% (13/96) for and 16.7% (16/96) for . In univariate analysis, mutation was associated with smoking status, CT value at 70 keV, IC, Effective-Z, and λHU slope; mutation was associated with CT value at 70 keV, IC, Effective-Z, and λHU slope, and rearrangement was correlated with age and WC. In multivariate analysis, smoking status (OR =2.924, P=0.019) and CT value at 70 keV (OR =1.036, P=0.006) were significantly associated with mutation; Effective-Z and age were significantly associated with mutation (OR =0.047, P=0.032) and rearrangement (OR =0.933, P=0.008), respectively.

Conclusions: Quantitative analysis of DESCT could help detect solid lung adenocarcinoma harboring or mutation, or rearrangement.