Imaging Method Assesses Lung Function Before Cancer Surgery

Thomas Jefferson University researchers tested a 4D CT technique to evaluate lung function in early-stage lung cancer patients before surgery.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Asthma

Clean hospital imaging room with a circular CT scanner gantry and a bare patient table under soft daylight from a high window. — Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University tested a 4D CT ventilation method to assess lung function in 30 early-stage lung cancer patients before surgery. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University used 4D computed tomography ventilation imaging to preoperatively assess lung function in a pilot study of 30 surgery-eligible patients with early-stage lung cancer. Months after surgery, its predictions were compared with those of the conventional technique.

Why it matters

Patients with early-stage lung cancer typically undergo surgery unless preoperative evaluation shows poor lung function, and the conventional method assumes lung function is evenly distributed, which may be inaccurate for some patients. The findings suggest 4DCT-ventilation could eventually help guide clinical decisions in Philadelphia and beyond, though more research is needed.

The evidence is a pilot study of 30 surgery-eligible patients with early-stage lung cancer, showing similar overall accuracy for 4DCT-ventilation and the conventional approach but better 4DCT-ventilation performance in patients with uneven lung function. Its clinical value beyond this small pilot remains unestablished.

The players

Thomas Jefferson University

Thomas Jefferson University is a private research university in Philadelphia whose researchers conducted the study and whose radiation oncology work includes imaging-based lung assessment.

The details

Patients inhale and exhale during 4DCT scanning to capture real-time lung activity, and image-processing converts the resulting movie into a map showing which parts of the lung function well. The 4DCT-ventilation images did not influence clinical decision-making during the trial, allowing researchers to compare them against conventional predictions months after surgery.

Months after surgery: researchers compared conventional and 4DCT-ventilation predictions.

Big Picture

This study extends the conventional MRI and CT approach used for preoperative lung function evaluation in early-stage lung cancer by testing 4D ventilation imaging, which may better capture uneven lung function that conventional methods assume away.

For patients facing early-stage lung cancer surgery, this research suggests that a more detailed preoperative lung scan may eventually help determine whether they can safely undergo the operation. The technique remains experimental, so patients should continue to follow their physicians' current evaluation standards.

The takeaway

Asking your care team about the full range of preoperative lung tests can help you understand how your lung function will be evaluated before any surgery. Emerging imaging methods like this are promising but not yet standard, so discuss any new option with your physician before considering it.