Correlation between CT characters and epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutations in lung adenocarcinoma

Objective: To explore the correlation between CT characters and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations in lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: Two hundred and three lung adenocarcinoma patients (from September, 2014 to March ,2015) confirmed by pathology were divided into effective mutation group (97 cases) and non-effective mutation group (106 cases) on the basis of the site and the response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Among all the CT characters, rank-sum test was adopted to analyze the difference of diameter between the two groups; Fisher's exact test was applied to explain the difference of density type and Chi-square test was applied to analyze the difference of lobulation, spiculation, necrosis, pleural indentation, cavitation and air-brochogram signs. Logistic regression was used to analyze the significant signs and evaluate the odds ratio (OR). Results: There were 65, 67, 45, 74 cases of lobulation, spiculation, necrosis, pleural indentation in the EGFR gene effective mutation group and 56, 51, 26, 61 cases in non-effective mutation group with statistically significant difference between the two groups (χ² = 4.230, 9.141, 10.646, 7.986, P < 0.05). However, there were no significant difference between the two groups in the diameter, density, cavitation and air-brochogram (P > 0.05). Logistics regression analysis showed that, spiculation (0R = 2.120), necrosis (0R = 2.853) and pleural indentation (OR = 2.094) were in correlation with EGFR effective mutations, and lobulation was not in correlation with EGFR effective mutations. Conclusions: Among all the CT sings, spiculation, necrosis and pleural indentation were in correlation with EGFR gene effective mutation, they were more likely to appear in lung adenocarcinoma patients with EGFR gene effective mutation. (authors)