DEAR EDITOR,
I perused the interesting article by Adrianta et al.1 published in your esteemed journal regarding the CT-defined emphysema morphology as a predictor for histological subtypes of lung cancer. The authors concluded that certain morphological patterns can be associated with distinct histological subtypes (e.g., centrilobular emphysema with adenocarcinoma). The benefits of developing this method are evident in cases where adequate biopsy specimen retrieval is not possible.
In this context, I would like to comment on the technique of micro-computed tomography,2 which is a different method, sharing however the same rationale: to reach a histological diagnosis without pathological examination, based on specialized imaging modalities. The development of micro-computed tomography to the extent that its cost will be permissive and its radiation levels safe for the human organism will hopefully bring important novel applications in the diagnosis of malignant disease aiming at accurate diagnosis without the need for interventional or surgical tissue retrieval.
