Histogram-Based Densitometry Index to Assess the Severity of Interstitial Lung Disease in Systemic Sclerosis in Standard and Low-Dose Computed Tomography.

Abstract

Mean lung attenuation, skewness, and kurtosis are histogram-based densitometry variables that quantify systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) and were recently merged into a computerized integrated index (CII). Our work tested the CII in low-dose 9-slice (reduced) and standard high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans to evaluate extensive SSc-ILD and predict mortality.