Summary

As part of a more general effort to probe the interrelated factors impacting the accuracy and precision of lung nodule size estimation, we have been conducting phantom CT studies with an anthropomorphic thoracic phantom containing a vasculature insert on which synthetic nodules were inserted or attached.

The utilization of synthetic nodules with known truth regarding size and location allows for bias and variance analysis, enabled by the acquisition of repeat CT scans.  Using a factorial approach to probe imaging parameters (acquisition and reconstruction) and nodule characteristics (size, density, shape, location), ten repeat scans have been collected for each protocol and nodule layout.  The resulting database of CT scans is incrementally becoming available to the public via The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA) to facilitate the assessment of lung nodule size estimation methodologies and the development of image analysis software among other possible applications. 


Data Access

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Images (DICOM, 728.5 GB)

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DICOM Metadata Digest (CSV, 862 kB)

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Detailed Description

Collection Statistics


Modalities

CT

Number of Participants

7

Number of Studies

76

Number of Series

4,433

Number of Images

1,468,751

Image Size (GB)728.5


Database Description (link)

The anthropomorphic thoracic phantom (Kyotokagaku Incorporated, Tokyo, Japan) employed in this study is shown in Figure 1, along with the vasculature insert on which synthetic nodules were attached before CT imaging.  The phantom does not contain lung parenchyma so the space within the vascular structure is filled with air.

fig1.PNG

Fig 1:  Photograph of the exterior shell of the thoracic phantom (left) and the vasculature insert (right).


The synthetic lung nodules used in our data CT scans were manufactured by either Kyotokagaku Incorporated (Japan) and Computerized Imaging Reference Systems (CIRS, Norfolk, VA).  They consisted of objects varying in size (5, 8, 10, 12, 20, 40 mm), shape (spherical, elliptical, lobulated, spiculated), and density (-800, -630, -10, +100 HU).  Figure 2 shows examples of the various sizes and shapes of synthetic nodules used in our CT data collection.

Eight different layouts of nodules were specified by placing them in premarked positions within the phantom vasculature, where they were either attached to vessels or suspended in foam (non-attached configuration).  Care was taken to maintain constant positioning of the nodules when a particular layout was scanned multiple times or with different protocols.  For that purpose, vessels on which nodules were attached were color coded.  Table 1 tabulates the nodule configuration for the nodule layouts that are currently available at NBIA DICOM Radiology Portal in terms of nodule positioning, size, shape, and density. Figures 3-6 show a schematic diagram of the currently available layouts.  All tables and figures in this document will be updated as more data is posted.

 

Figure 2:  Photographs of the different types of synthetic nodules used in this study.  Each column shows example nodules in three sizes, with lobulatedellipticalspiculatedspherical, and irregular nodules shown from left to right.  The three sizes shown here were manufactured to have the equivalent volumes of spherical nodules with diameters of 5, 10, and 20 mm (with the exception of the irregular shapes which have nominal diameters of about 5, 10, 12 mm).  Additional nodules used in this study span the size range between 5-60mm.

 

Nodule layout

Vessel attachment

Nodule placement and description

Left lung

Right lung

Nominal diameter (mm)

Shape*

 

HU

Nominal diameter (mm)

Shape

HU

1

attached

5,8,10

SPH   

-800

5,8,10

SPH

-630

2

attached

5,8,10

SPH

100

8,12,15

irregular

-300, 30,30

3

attached

5,8,10,20,40

SPH

100

5,8,10,20,40

SPH

-630

4

attached

 10, 20, 10, 20,

10, 20

ELL,  ELL,  LOB, LOB, SPI, SPI

 -630

10, 20, 10, 20,

10, 20

ELL^,  ELL, LOB, LOB, SPI, SPI

100

 Table 1.  Summary of currently available nodule layouts.  *SPH- spherical, ELL- elliptical, LOB- lobulated, SPI- spiculated.  ^Note: The 10mm, 100HU elliptical nodule in the right lung has a large hole in it.  A replacement was scanned as part of Nodule 6 which will be released by the end of 2014.

The phantom was scanned using a Philips 16-row scanner (Mx8000 IDT, Philips Healthcare, Andover, MA) and a Siemens 64-row scanner (Somatom Definition 64, Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., Malvern, PA).  Scans were acquired with varying combinations of effective dose, pitch, and slice collimation, and were reconstructed with varying combinations of slice thicknesses and reconstruction kernels.  Ten exposures were acquired for each imaging protocol.  The phantom position was not changed during the 10 repeat exposures; however it was repositioned between different imaging protocols or different nodule layouts.  Table 2 summarizes the imaging protocols for the nodule layout.

NOTE:  Each study in the database contains 10 repeat scans for that particular acquisition protocol, multiplied by the number of reconstructions.   The study and series descriptions contain the following information:

Study description

Contains information on: the scanner vendor (currently Philips or Siemens), the exposure (in mAs), the pitch (currently either 1.2 or 0.9 according to the definition  , where Δd is the patient table travel in the horizontal direction and T is the detector width at the isocenter plane),  and slice collimation (in mm).

Series description:

  Contains information on reconstructed slice thickness (in mm), reconstructed slice increment (in mm), and reconstruction filter or kernel (currently either C for detail, or B for medium).


Nodule

Layout, Scanner

Eff.dose

(mAs)

Slice collimation (mm)

Slice overlap

Pitch

Recon. Slice thickness (mm)

Recon. Kernels

# sets

1,S1

20,50,100,200

16x0.75,

(16x1.5)

50%

0.9,1.2

0.75,1.5,3 (2,3,5)

C

480

2, S1

20,100,200

16x0.75,

(16x1.5)

50%

0.9,1.2

0.75,1.5,3 (2,3,5)

C, B

720

3, S2

25, 100, 200

64x0.6

0%, 50%

0.9, 1.2

0.75, 1.5, 3.0

B40f, B60f

720

4, S1

25, 100, 200

16x0.75,

(16x1.5)

50%

0.9,1.2

0.75,1.5,3 (2,3,5)

C, B

720

TOTAL







2640

Table 2.  Summary of reconstructed CT datasets: a description of the individual nodule layouts are provided in Table 3. *S1: 16-row Philips Mx8000 IDT (Philips Healthcare, Andover, MA), S2: 64-row Siemens Somatom (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany).


For example: there are 16 studies for Nodule Layout #1 (4 exposures x 2 slice collimations x 2 pitch settings).  Each study contains 30 series (10 repeat scans x 3 reconstructed slice thickness x 1 reconstruction kernel).


A key component of the CT lung phantom project is the ability to compare the estimated nodule size with the known true size or reference gold standard.  As part of our project, volume was used as a surrogate measure of size.   The true volume estimate of each synthetic nodule was derived from weight and density measures.  Both the CIRS-and Kyotokagaku nodules were accompanied by density measures.  Nodule weights were measured in our lab using a precision scale of 0.1 mg tolerance (Adventurer Pro AV 2646, Ohaus Corp, Pine Brook, NJ).  Three repeat weight measurements were made and these weights were averaged to produce a final estimated weight for each nodule.  Our estimates of the true volume of the synthetic nodules in each layout are summarized in Table 3 along with approximated xyz location (based on 0.8mm slice thickness) of nodule center in the CT scans. 

This phantom and the associated synthetic nodules designed in our lab have been used in a number of studies examining the accuracy and precision of volumetric measurements using CT

Nodule

Layout

Right lung nodules

Left lung nodules


Nom.  Diam.(mm)

Shape

HU

x y z

Vol

(µl)

Nom.  Diam.

(mm)

Shape

HU

x y z

Vol (µl)

1

5

SPH

-630

177 342 192

71

5

SPH

-800

340 325 168

62


8

SPH

-630

179 288 531

282

8

SPH

-800

343 274 540

245


10

SPH

-630

170 309 385

522

10

SPH

-800

394 260 363

496

2

8

irr

-300

184 290 525

253

5

SPH

100

335 331 157

64


12

irr

30

170 319 379

676

8

SPH

100

351 282 538

255


15

irr

30

189 347 161

263

10

SPH

100

395 276 349

506

3

5

SPH

-630

192 350 562

71

5

SPH

100

338 328 580

64


8

SPH

-630

185 287 208

282

8

SPH

100

355 278 212

255


10

SPH

-630

170 324 354

522

10

SPH

100

394 270 390

506


20

SPH

-630

157 251 190

4193

20

SPH

100

384 240 229

4215


40

SPH

-630

168 280 198

34524

40

SPH

100

373 262 156

33781

4

10

ELL

-630

176 354 178

547

10

ELL

100

341 333 162

545


20

ELL

-630

169 322 95

4210

20

ELL

100

401 296 122

4155


10

LOB

-630

159 329 347

530

10

LOB

100

395 272 329

535


20

LOB

-630

136 292 337

4305

20

LOB

100

349 350 268

4441


10

SPI

-630

167 315 520

539

10

SPI

100

357 296 530

535


20

SPI

-630

133 269 475

4335

20

SPI

100

386 248 503

4305

Table 3.  Approximate center location and estimated true volume of synthetic lung nodules in each nodule layout based on 0.75mm slice thickness, 0.4mm slice increment CT scans.  (SPH=spherical, ELL=elliptical, LOB= lobulated, SPI= spiculated, irr=irregular)

  

Please contact help@cancerimagingarchive.net who can direct you to Dr. Gavrielides with further scientific questions.


Appendix 1

 layout1.PNG

 Figure 3.  Schematic diagram of Nodule Layout#1 in terms of nodule placement. Vessel branches within the anthropomorphic phantom were color coded for the purpose of mapping nodules to specific positions within the phantom’s vasculature structure in a reproducible manner.

layout2.PNG 

Figure 4.  Schematic diagram of Nodule Layout#2 in terms of nodule placement.


Figure 5.  Schematic diagram of Nodule Layout#3 in terms of nodule placement.


Figure 6.  Schematic diagram of Nodule Layout#4 in terms of nodule placement.


Citations & Data Usage Policy 

Users must abide by the TCIA Data Usage Policy and Restrictions. Attribution should include references to the following citations:

Data Citation

Gavrielides, M. A., Kinnard, L. M., Myers, K. J., Peregoy, J., Pritchard, W. F., Zeng, R., Esparza, J., Karanian, J., & Petrick, N. (2015). Data From Phantom FDA [Data set]. The Cancer Imaging Archive. https://doi.org/10.7937/k9/TCIA.2015.orbjkmux

Publication Citation

Gavrielides, M. A., Kinnard, L. M., Myers, K. J., Peregoy, J., Pritchard, W. F., Zeng, R., Esparza, J., Karanian, J., & Petrick, N. (2010). A resource for the assessment of lung nodule size estimation methods: database of thoracic CT scans of an anthropomorphic phantom. In Optics Express (Vol. 18, Issue 14, p. 15244).  https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.18.015244,  PMCID: PMC3408907

TCIA Citation

Clark, K., Vendt, B., Smith, K., Freymann, J., Kirby, J., Koppel, P., Moore, S., Phillips, S., Maffitt, D., Pringle, M., Tarbox, L., & Prior, F. (2013). The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA): Maintaining and Operating a Public Information Repository. In Journal of Digital Imaging (Vol. 26, Issue 6, pp. 1045–1057).  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10278-013-9622-7

Questions may be directed to help@cancerimagingarchive.net.

Other Publications Using This Data

TCIA maintains a list of publications which leverage our data.  If you have a manuscript you'd like to add please contact TCIA's Helpdesk.

  1. Kalpathy-Cramer, J., et al, (2016) "Radiomics of Lung Nodules: A Multi-Institutional Study of Robustness and Agreement of Quantitative Imaging Features." Tomography 2(4)430-437. doi:  10.18383/j.tom.2016.00235
  2. Peskin AP, Dima AA, Saiprasad G. An Automated Method for Locating Phantom modules in Anthropomorphic Thoracic Phantom CT Studies. The 2012 International Conference on Image Processing, Computer Vision, and Pattern Recognition. 2012. (IPC conference link)

Version 2 (Current): Updated 2017/08/30


Data TypeDownload all or Query/Filter
Images (DICOM, 728.5 GB)

   

(Download requires the NBIA Data Retriever)

DICOM Metadata Digest (CSV)
Updated Description (.DOC)


Version 1: Updated 2014/08/04

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Images (DICOM, 125.4GB)
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