Can CT measures of tumour heterogeneity stratify risk for nodal metastasis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer?

Highlights: • CT texture analysis (CTTA) is emerging as a technique for derivation of prognostic biomarkers for patients with NSCLC. • CT texture analysis evaluates quantitatively tumour heterogeneity, which is linked to tumour aggression. • CTTA in NSCLC is related to nodal status in patients without distal metastases and has potential to inform selection of investigative strategies for the assessment of mediastinal malignancy. To undertake a preliminary assessment of the potential for computed tomography (CT) measurement of tumour heterogeneity to stratify risk of nodal metastasis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).