Table 3. APEs of Synthetic Nodules according to Different Nodule Types, Radiation Doses, and Reconstruction Algorithms.
| Radiation Doses | Nodule Type | Nodule Size (mm) | FBP | HIR | IMR-R1 | IMR-ST1 | IMR-SP1 | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 kVp/100 mAs | Solid nodule | 3 | 8.57 ± 3.08 | 5.66 ± 4.10 | 2.68 ± 1.61 | 3.59 ± 1.96 | 1.83 ± 1.28*† | 0.028 |
| 5 | 3.48 ± 1.20 | 4.44 ± 1.76 | 5.95 ± 3.53 | 5.67 ± 3.80 | 2.35 ± 1.36* | 0.305 | ||
| 7 | 5.76 ± 1.46 | 4.25 ± 1.99 | 3.15 ± 1.67* | 3.76 ± 0.82 | 6.97 ± 3.43 | 0.253 | ||
| 9 | 3.26 ± 1.18 | 8.26 ± 1.07 | 5.86 ± 3.40 | 2.40 ± 1.29 | 0.91 ± 0.23*† | 0.010 | ||
| Outer GGO portion of PSN | 20/9 | 9.46 ± 2.32 | 3.71 ± 4.13 | 3.46 ± 5.31*† | 5.05 ± 3.39 | 7.36 ± 1.60 | 0.001 | |
| 20/7 | 7.13 ± 1.20 | 6.55 ± 1.04 | 2.57 ± 2.99 | 4.89 ± 1.79 | 2.16 ± 3.37*† | 0.026 | ||
| 20/5 | 0.42 ± 0.54*† | 1.57 ± 0.70 | 0.95 ± 0.72 | 2.77 ± 2.38 | 9.08 ± 6.10 | 0.012 | ||
| 20/3 | 0.79 ± 0.79*† | 6.95 ± 4.34 | 4.07 ± 1.70 | 1.75 ± 2.22 | 1.70 ± 1.21 | 0.014 | ||
| Inner solid portion of PSN | 3 | 6.63 ± 2.34 | 5.93 ± 2.73 | 1.06 ± 1.36*† | 8.75 ± 3.96 | 11.72 ± 7.22 | < 0.001 | |
| 5 | 6.11 ± 4.85 | 5.73 ± 3.42 | 2.19 ± 1.22*† | 4.36 ± 1.67 | 3.97 ± 2.44 | 0.022 | ||
| 7 | 2.28 ± 0.96 | 2.53 ± 1.46 | 3.12 ± 0.64 | 2.60 ± 1.72 | 1.55 ± 1.16* | 0.897 | ||
| 9 | 1.64 ± 2.08 | 2.03 ± 1.85 | 1.47 ± 0.90 | 3.05 ± 3.38 | 1.09 ± 0.74* | 0.548 | ||
| 120 kVp/50 mAs | Solid nodule | 3 | 17.95 ± 6.91 | 3.57 ± 1.51 | 3.87 ± 1.24 | 2.23 ± 2.08 | 2.21 ± 1.76*† | 0.002 |
| 5 | 5.20 ± 2.50 | 7.24 ± 0.39 | 6.12 ± 3.34 | 5.38 ± 3.30 | 1.53 ± 1.14* | 0.070 | ||
| 7 | 7.43 ± 0.28 | 3.86 ± 2.83 | 4.21 ± 1.22 | 3.10 ± 1.46* | 8.24 ± 3.01 | 0.104 | ||
| 9 | 5.03 ± 3.74 | 8.59 ± 1.43 | 7.32 ± 2.31 | 2.57 ± 0.64 | 1.06 ± 1.34*† | 0.001 | ||
| Outer GGO portion of PSN | 20/9 | 8.85 ± 3.19 | 3.56 ± 4.37 | 3.39 ± 4.58* | 5.96 ± 2.59 | 7.83 ± 1.74 | 0.065 | |
| 20/7 | 6.62 ± 1.95 | 5.95 ± 1.57 | 2.03 ± 3.36*† | 3.97 ± 2.70 | 2.32 ± 3.42 | 0.009 | ||
| 20/5 | 1.82 ± 1.32 | 1.98 ± 1.23 | 1.13 ± 1.57*† | 5.12 ± 1.21 | 9.53 ± 5.93 | 0.044 | ||
| 20/3 | 1.89 ± 1.60 | 9.35 ± 4.57 | 4.89 ± 2.45 | 1.31 ± 0.69*† | 1.32 ± 0.75 | 0.007 | ||
| Inner solid portion of PSN | 3 | 8.23 ± 2.52 | 11.41 ± 9.95 | 1.95 ± 1.56*† | 5.61 ± 0.85 | 11.76 ± 10.82 | 0.002 | |
| 5 | 10.96 ± 1.69 | 9.36 ± 2.65 | 5.87 ± 4.86 | 3.86 ± 2.03 | 3.40 ± 3.42* | 0.057 | ||
| 7 | 2.45 ± 0.46 | 2.45 ± 0.46 | 1.72 ± 1.33* | 2.48 ± 2.77 | 2.02 ± 2.69 | 0.997 | ||
| 9 | 3.11 ± 4.70 | 3.01 ± 4.59 | 2.52 ± 1.51 | 4.97 ± 4.71 | 1.38 ± 0.67* | 0.797 | ||
| 120 kVp/20 mAs | Solid nodule | 3 | 7.69 ± 1.87 | 4.18 ± 3.57 | 3.12 ± 1.62 | 2.08 ± 1.65*† | 3.55 ± 2.04 | 0.018 |
| 5 | 2.41 ± 0.40 | 4.27 ± 2.86 | 3.94 ± 3.33 | 5.06 ± 3.27 | 2.29 ± 3.32* | 0.509 | ||
| 7 | 6.04 ± 2.42 | 4.51 ± 2.04 | 1.68 ± 0.84* | 3.31 ± 1.52 | 8.32 ± 2.38 | 0.065 | ||
| 9 | 3.98 ± 0.66 | 6.67 ± 1.26 | 5.46 ± 3.39 | 2.32 ± 1.48 | 1.20 ± 0.37* | 0.063 | ||
| Outer GGO portion of PSN | 20/9 | 8.52 ± 2.92 | 3.97 ± 5.59 | 4.24 ± 4.98* | 6.24 ± 3.75 | 7.84 ± 2.28 | 0.095 | |
| 20/7 | 6.73 ± 2.20 | 6.67 ± 2.25 | 2.25 ± 3.22*† | 4.13 ± 2.12 | 2.79 ± 3.80 | 0.027 | ||
| 20/5 | 3.46 ± 4.34 | 0.89 ± 1.29*† | 1.08 ± 1.14 | 4.04 ± 2.60 | 11.66 ± 7.08 | 0.006 | ||
| 20/3 | 2.58 ± 1.42 | 10.39 ± 5.29 | 4.06 ± 1.74 | 2.17 ± 1.43 | 1.05 ± 0.93*† | 0.008 | ||
| Inner solid portion of PSN | 3 | 11.06 ± 4.76 | 13.18 ± 6.51 | 2.88 ± 3.68*† | 5.75 ± 1.95 | 13.71 ± 6.10 | 0.001 | |
| 5 | 15.28 ± 4.46 | 7.25 ± 3.52 | 5.52 ± 3.04*† | 6.16 ± 2.48 | 5.84 ± 5.82 | 0.002 | ||
| 7 | 2.53 ± 1.46 | 6.57 ± 9.51 | 3.39 ± 0.72* | 4.33 ± 2.55 | 4.37 ± 2.87 | 0.608 | ||
| 9 | 1.90 ± 2.39 | 0.59 ± 0.80 | 1.49 ± 1.11* | 3.11 ± 2.57 | 1.28 ± 0.57 | 0.801 | ||
| 120 kVp/10 mAs | Solid nodule | 3 | 27.37 ± 18.64 | 22.85 ± 38.83 | 1.84 ± 1.60*† | 2.72 ± 1.16 | 5.44 ± 2.84 | 0.008 |
| 5 | 6.34 ± 2.89 | 10.26 ± 2.23 | 7.66 ± 2.72 | 6.27 ± 4.11 | 3.44 ± 2.87*† | 0.006 | ||
| 7 | 7.15 ± 1.46 | 9.58 ± 3.14 | 9.40 ± 4.39 | 2.09 ± 1.52*† | 9.26 ± 0.98 | 0.027 | ||
| 9 | 15.12 ± 16.24 | 8.14 ± 2.95 | 9.38 ± 2.90 | 5.42 ± 6.85 | 1.73 ± 1.27* | 0.095 | ||
| Outer GGO portion of PSN | 20/9 | 9.87 ± 2.69 | 4.82 ± 6.38 | 3.42 ± 3.84*† | 6.79 ± 3.62 | 7.64 ± 2.83 | 0.044 | |
| 20/7 | 7.74 ± 2.95 | 7.66 ± 2.72 | 3.48 ± 5.14 | 4.55 ± 2.41 | 2.54 ± 4.18*† | 0.035 | ||
| 20/5 | 3.97 ± 3.79 | 2.41 ± 0.86 | 1.97 ± 2.16*† | 4.67 ± 2.41 | 10.78 ± 5.60 | 0.004 | ||
| 20/3 | 3.27 ± 2.36 | 9.63 ± 2.91 | 4.13 ± 2.19 | 0.99 ± 0.75*† | 1.18 ± 1.48 | 0.001 | ||
| Inner solid portion of PSN | 3 | 9.11 ± 0.89 | 11.01 ± 3.97 | 5.57 ± 6.26* | 6.32 ± 2.91 | 9.64 ± 2.08 | 0.091 | |
| 5 | 11.42 ± 1.60 | 18.05 ± 7.76 | 5.74 ± 7.58 | 5.88 ± 1.94 | 5.54 ± 6.64*† | 0.001 | ||
| 7 | 2.25 ± 0.68 | 3.95 ± 3.23 | 3.09 ± 1.00 | 2.19 ± 1.32* | 6.86 ± 5.22 | 0.358 | ||
| 9 | 2.88 ± 1.72 | 1.95 ± 1.12 | 2.71 ± 1.27 | 4.58 ± 2.39 | 1.02 ± 0.21* | 0.383 | ||
| 80 kVp/10 mAs | Solid nodule | 3 | 9.33 ± 6.35 | 1.58 ± 0.88 | 2.74 ± 2.10* | 4.49 ± 1.56 | 3.42 ± 2.42 | 0.565 |
| 5 | 11.19 ± 9.57 | 7.18 ± 5.09 | 5.09 ± 3.89 | 6.72 ± 0.98 | 3.30 ± 2.72*† | 0.001 | ||
| 7 | 8.41 ± 4.78 | 3.66 ± 2.05 | 4.74 ± 1.66 | 2.30 ± 1.16*† | 4.88 ± 2.45 | 0.044 | ||
| 9 | 8.37 ± 4.65 | 6.05 ± 2.99 | 4.18 ± 1.08 | 1.23 ± 1.18*† | 2.11 ± 1.46 | < 0.001 | ||
| Outer GGO portion of PSN | 20/9 | 7.32 ± 6.64 | 5.20 ± 7.09 | 5.33 ± 3.89 | 4.56 ± 1.11*† | 7.59 ± 2.20 | 0.039 | |
| 20/7 | 6.41 ± 6.75 | 5.13 ± 2.85 | 1.73 ± 1.55*† | 5.28 ± 2.25 | 2.71 ± 2.77 | 0.007 | ||
| 20/5 | 3.90 ± 2.62 | 2.65 ± 1.60 | 1.77 ± 1.62*† | 2.81 ± 2.55 | 6.30 ± 4.48 | 0.026 | ||
| 20/3 | 3.13 ± 1.80 | 8.11 ± 5.24 | 2.31 ± 0.44 | 1.07 ± 0.61* | 1.14 ± 1.34 | 0.146 | ||
| Inner solid portion of PSN | 3 | 10.83 ± 7.56 | 8.14 ± 6.45 | 5.84 ± 1.96* | 6.90 ± 3.31 | 6.99 ± 5.11 | 0.632 | |
| 5 | 8.52 ± 1.30 | 7.52 ± 3.81 | 7.05 ± 3.21 | 5.42 ± 4.75* | 5.77 ± 1.54 | 0.774 | ||
| 7 | 3.79 ± 2.20 | 2.67 ± 1.44 | 3.25 ± 0.95 | 2.19 ± 1.54 | 2.05 ± 1.66* | 0.898 | ||
| 9 | 6.08 ± 5.03 | 3.83 ± 2.49 | 2.25 ± 1.12 | 4.10 ± 4.07 | 0.42 ± 0.17* | 0.156 |
*Lowest values, †Statistically significant values.