CT in pathologic diagnosis of multiple lung ground-glass opacity nodules

Objective To study the histopathological features of persistent lung multiple ground-glass opacity (GGO) nodules. Methods The pathological diagnosis, CT features and follow-up data of 103 patients with GGO nodules admitted to our hospital from June 2010 to August 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Of the 103 parents, 27 were diagnosed with multiple GGO nodules and 76 with solitary GGO nodules. Of the 51 multiple GGO nodules, 14 were atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH), 11 were bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC), 18 were adenocarcinoma, 4 were interstitial pneumonia, 2 were organizing pneumonia and 2 were phthisis. Of the 76 solitary GGO nodules, 9 were AAH, 20 were BAC, 34 were adenocarcinoma, 5 were organizing pneumonia, 3 were interstitial pneumonia, 2 were pneumorrhagia, 2 were phthisis and 1 was hamartoma. The number of female patients with multiple GGO nodules was greater than that male patients with multiple GGO nodules, the diameter of multiple GGO nodules was longer than that of solitary GGO nodules, the composition of grounded glass was higher in multiple GGO nodules than in solitary GGO nodules, the pleural retraction syndrome was more common in patients with solitary GGO nodules than in those with multiple GGO nodules, the margin of multiple GGO nodules was smoother than that of solitary GGO nodules (P< 0.05). No recurrence occurred in all patients except in 1 (P< 0.05). Conclusion The pathological and CT features of persistent lung multiple GGO nodules are different from those of solitary GGO nodules. However, their prognosis is similar during the follow-up period.