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Principal Investigator
Name
Matthew Freedman
Degrees
MD
Institution
Georgetown University
Position Title
Professor of Radiology
Email
About this CDAS Project
Study
NLST (Learn more about this study)
Project ID
2003-90018
Initial CDAS Request Approval
Jun 16, 2003
Title
Mathematical Characterization of Lung Nodules Identified by Screening Lung CT
Summary
This proposal will attempt to identify key radiologic features of nodules and translate them into mathematical formulations. A trained vision-based neural network system will be used to automatically extract the features. The clinical characteristics of nodules will then be correlated with the nodule features.
Aims

Screening lung CT has a high sensitivity for the detection of lung nodules, but many of the nodules identified cannot be directly classified as benign or malignant. Nodules identified on screening CT have various mathematical features that may help to determine their malignant potential. Our group has defined computational features of nodules that define their mathematical characteristics. The CAD group at Georgetown University, directed by Ben Lo, Ph.D. and Matthew Freedman, MD, MBA, has done a significant amount of work on the computational features that are defined based on image patterns and textures of the nodules. In addition, we have also trained a vision-based neural network system to automatically extract the features. We would like to apply these mathematical features to nodules identified on Georgetowns screening lung CTs from the NLST and LSS protocols. Because histologic diagnoses are not yet available on the majority of screen-detected nodules, we will not be able to make immediate correlations. However, as the cases evolve we will be able to correlate the image features with the histology of the nodules.