Table 1.
Summary of characteristics in training and testing cohorts
| Characteristics | Training cohort | Testing cohort | p## value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LN (+) (N = 89) | LN (−) (N = 96) | p value | LN (+) (N = 38) | LN (−) (N = 40) | p value | ||
| Sex, no. (%) | 0.075 | 0.581 | 0.910 | ||||
| From male patients | 44 (16.73) | 35 (13.31) | 21 (7.98) | 20 (7.60) | |||
| From female patients | 45 (17.11) | 61(23.19) | 17 (6.46) | 20 (7.60) | |||
| Age/mean ± SD, years | 58.35 ± 6.76 | 59.23 ± 7.55 | 0.406 | 58.37 ± 8.22 | 58.55 ± 10.09 | 0.931 | 0.745 |
| Pathology source (no. (%)) | 0.294 | 0.502 | 0.228 | ||||
| SCC | 25 (9.88) | 20 (6.84) | 9 (3.42) | 12 (4.74) | |||
| Adenocarcinoma | 62 (24.51) | 76 (28.90) | 28 (11.07) | 28 (10.65) | |||
| NEC | 1 (0.38) | 0 (0.00) | 1 (0.38) | 0 (0.00) | |||
| Sarcoma | 1 (0.38) | 0 (0.00) | 0 (0.00) | 0 (0.00) | |||
| LN station (no. (%)) | 0.048 | 0.002 | 0.208 | ||||
| #1, #2 | 10 (3.80%) | 4 (1.52%) | 7 (2.66%) | 0 (0.00%) | |||
| #3–9 | 32 (12.17%) | 49 (18.63%) | 15 (5.70%) | 10 (3.80%) | |||
| #10–14 | 47 (17.87%) | 43 (16.35%) | 16 (6.08%) | 30 (11.41%) | |||
| Lung lobe (no. (%)) | 0.046 | 0.420 | 0.847 | ||||
| Right upper lobe | 25 (9.51%) | 28 (10.65%) | 10 (3.80%) | 9 (3.42%) | |||
| Right middle lobe | 4 (1.52%) | 16 (6.08%) | 4 (1.52%) | 5 (1.90%) | |||
| Right lower lobe | 17 (6.46%) | 21 (7.98%) | 8 (3.04%) | 9 (3.42%) | |||
| Left upper lobe | 17 (6.46%) | 14 (5.32%) | 11 (4.18%) | 6 (2.28%) | |||
| Left lower lobe | 26 (9.89%) | 17 (6.46%) | 5 (1.90%) | 11 (4.18%) | |||
| SUVmax/median (25%, 75%) | 3.95 (2.92, 6.54) | 2.29 (1.51, 3.50) | < 0.001 | 4.15 (3.28, 8.68) | 2.22 (3.16, 3.42) | < 0.001 | 0.759 |
| SAD/median (25%,75%) (cm) | 1.00 (0.80, 1.38) | 0.90 (0.70, 1.00) | < 0.001 | 1.05 (0.90, 1.35) | 0.80 (0.60, 1.08) | < 0.001 | 0.754 |
| Rad-Score | 0.582 (− 0.221, 1.892) | − 0.808 (− 1.779, − 2.000) | < 0.001 | 0.702 (0.255, 1.991) | − 0.677(− 1.230, 0.228) | < 0.001 | 0.242 |
| Int-Score | 1.387 (− 0.014, 3.109) | − 1.438 (− 2.402, − 0.293) | < 0.001 | 1.405 (− 0.030, 3.060) | − 1.297 (− 2.422, − 0.119) | < 0.001 | 0.449 |
The values in italics indicate the cut-off values used in the diagnosis process
p < 0.001 indicates statistical significance
SCC, squamous cell carcinoma; NEC, neuroendocrine carcinoma
Lymph nodes and tumors were located on the same side of the trachea or esophagus
Lung lobe represents the tumor location
p## value indicates the significance of differences between the characteristics in training and testing cohorts
p value indicates the significance of differences between the LN (+) group and LN (−) group