Pulmonary nodule cost-effectiveness of therapy

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Joanna Ekabua, M.D. [2]

Overview

Navigational bronchoscopy and computed tomography with fine needle aspiration has been shown to be cost-effective in the initial diagnostic strategies of pulmonary nodules.

Cost-effective Therapy

Navigational bronchoscopy and computed tomography with fine needle aspiration diagnostic strategies are most cost-effective compared to either VATS biopsy or 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scan to diagnose lung cancer in moderate to high-risk pulmonary nodules and resulted in fewer nontherapeutic operations when FDG-PET specificity was < 72%. In regions of the country where specificity is low, FDG-PET scan may not be cost-effective for diagnosis of lung cancer. ^[1]

References

↑ Deppen SA, Davis WT, Green EA, Rickman O, Aldrich MC, Fletcher S; et al. (2014). “Cost-effectiveness of initial diagnostic strategies for pulmonary nodules presenting to thoracic surgeons”. Ann Thorac Surg. 98 (4): 1214–22. doi:10.1016/j.athoracsur.2014.05.025. PMC 4186897. PMID 25087933.

[pmid25087933-1] Deppen SA, Davis WT, Green EA, Rickman O, Aldrich MC, Fletcher S; et al. (2014). “Cost-effectiveness of initial diagnostic strategies for pulmonary nodules presenting to thoracic surgeons”. Ann Thorac Surg. 98 (4): 1214–22. doi:10.1016/j.athoracsur.2014.05.025. PMC 4186897. PMID 25087933.

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