The Predictive Value of Spectral CT Combined with Serum Biomarkers for Lymph Node Metastasis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the clinical value of combining spectral CT multi-parameter imaging with pulmonary serum markers for predicting lymph node metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent dual-source CT (DSCT) chest enhancement examinations at our hospital. All patients were diagnosed with NSCLC via surgery or pathology and presented with lymphadenopathy. The nature of all lymph nodes was confirmed by pathology or cytology. Multiple parameters were obtained using the Syngo. via workstation. The levels of pulmonary serum markers and the spectral imaging features were compared between NSCLC patients with and without lymph node metastasis. Correlation analysis and statistical methods were applied to draw conclusions. Results: This study found that the effective atomic number (Z-effective) demonstrated excellent performance in predicting metastasis. Its predictive efficacy became more significant when combined with serum tumor markers such as procalcitonin and cytokeratin fragments. This finding is consistent with the application of spectral CT in oncology research. Conclusion: This study confirms the significant value of a multimodal parameter (imaging + serum) combined analysis in diagnosing tumor metastasis. It provides a new approach for the early warning and precise assessment of tumor metastasis.