Detection of pulmonary nodules at spiral CT: comparison of maximum intensity projection sliding slabs and single-image reporting

The aim of this study was to compare numbers of pulmonary nodules detected with maximum intensity projections using a slab thickness of 15 mm (MIP 15) and 30 mm (MIP 30) with single image (SI) presentation of chest CT scans. Two readers reviewed MIP 15, MIP 30, and SI presentations of 10-mm (n = 8) and 5-mm collimation (n = 10) helical CT scans and recorded size, location, and diagnostic confidence (definite, probable) of pulmonary nodules. Readers 1 and 2 recorded more nodules with MIP 15 than with SI: 10-mm collimation, 77/64 and 60/56; 5-mm collimation, 64/60 and 40/36; and more "definite" nodules (10-mm collimation: 68/57 and 51/42; 5-mm collimation: 43/36 and 34/30). MIP 15 also detected more nodules than MIP 30 at 10-mm collimation: 77/72 and 60/50; with no major differences at 5-mm collimation: 64/66 and 40/38; and more "definite" nodules (10-mm collimation: 68/58 and 51/36; 5-mm collimation: 43/39 and 34/29). There were only minor differences between SI and MIP 30. Reading time and image number per study were reduced with MIP presentations by a factor of 1.4-5.3. There were no significant differences in the number of nodules detected with SI, MIP 15, and MIP 30, but MIP presentation reduced reporting time and filming cost when compared with SI reporting. For detection of nodules MIP 15 was slightly superior to MIP 30.