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. 2015 Sep 18;112(38):367–344. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2015.0637

Table 3. Hypothetical calculation of complications following the most invasive procedures for clarification of a positive result (tumor suspected) among participants in low dose CT screening in Germany.

Thoracotomy, thoracoscopy, or mediastinoscopy Bronchoscopy Needle biopsy Non-invasive procedure Total
N Proportion N Proportion N Proportion N Proportion N Proportion
Lung cancer confirmed 25745 3844 1668 1569 32826
No complications 17398 0.6758 3490 0.9079 1314 0.7879 1316 0.8387 23519 0.7165
At least one complication 8347 0.3242 354 0.0921 354 0.2121 253 0.1613 9307 0.2835

  • major

 3591 0.1395 101 0.0263 0 0 101 0.0645 3794 0.1156

  • intermediate

 4096 0.1591 253 0.0658 354 0.2121 101 0.0645 4804 0.1463

  • minor

 656 0.0255 0 0 0 0 51 0.0323 707 0.0215
Death within 60 days of the most invasive procedure 252 0.0098 202 0.0526 51 0.0303 0 0 505 0.0154
Lung cancer not confirmed 8487 11 758 3448 860 398 884 092
No complications 7142 0.8415 11 188 0.9515 3082 0.8939 859 538 0.9990 880 949 0.9964
At least one complication 1345 0,1585 570 0.0485 366 0.1061 860 0.0010 3142 0.0036

  • major

 466 0.0549 103 0.0088 0 0.0000 0 0.0000 569 0.0006

  • intermediate

 673 0.0793 466 0.0396 313 0.0909 860 0.0010 2312 0.0026

  • minor

 207 0.0244 0 0.0000 52 0.0152 0 0.0000 259 0.0003
Death within 60 days of the most invasive procedure 104 0.0122 207 0.0176 0 0.0000 258 0.0003 569 0.0006
All procedures for clarification of a positive result 34232 15602 5116 861967 916918
No complications 24540 0,7169 14678 0,9408 4396 0.8593 860854 0.9987 904468 0.9864
At least one complication 9692 0.2831 924 0.0592 720 0.1407 1113 0.0013 12449 0.0136

  • major

 4057 0.1185 205 0.0131 0 0.0000 101 0.0001 4363 0.0048

  • intermediate

 4769 0.1393 719 0.0461 667 0.1304 962 0.0011 7116 0.0078

  • minor

 864 0.0252 0 0.0000 52 0.0102 51 0.0001 967 0.0011
Death within 60 days of the most invasive procedure 356 0.0104 409 0.0262 51 0.0099 258 0.0003 1074 0.0012

If a given diagnostic procedure was repeated in the same patient, the first procedure was counted; complications arising before the most invasive procedure were not included in analysis; each participant could have up to three positive screening results and thus be counted up to three times in each row of figures. Proportions were calculated for each column