Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40664865›Full record

ArticleEuropean radiology2026

Performance of a screening-trained DL model for pulmonary nodule malignancy estimation of incidental clinical nodules.

Renate Dinnessen, Dré Peeters, Noa Antonissen, Firdaus A A Mohamed Hoesein, Hester A Gietema, Ernst Th Scholten, Cornelia Schaefer-Prokop, Colin Jacobs

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Article in European radiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Renate DinnessenDepartment of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. renate.dinnessen@radboudumc.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-7136-7475
Dré PeetersDepartment of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Noa AntonissenDepartment of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Firdaus A A Mohamed HoeseinDepartment of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Hester A GietemaDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Ernst Th ScholtenDepartment of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Cornelia Schaefer-ProkopDepartment of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Colin JacobsDepartment of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Funding

KWF Kankerbestrijding 14113
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo test the performance of a DL model developed and validated for screen-detected pulmonary nodules on incidental nodules detected in a clinical setting. MATERIALS AND

methodsA retrospective dataset of incidental pulmonary nodules sized 5-15 mm was collected, and a subset of size-matched solid nodules was selected. The performance of the DL model was compared to the Brock model. AUCs with 95% CIs were compared using the DeLong method. Sensitivity and specificity were determined at various thresholds, using a 10% threshold for the Brock model as reference. The model's calibration was visually assessed.

resultsThe dataset included 49 malignant and 359 benign solid or part-solid nodules, and the size-matched dataset included 47 malignant and 47 benign solid nodules. In the complete dataset, AUCs [95% CI] were 0.89 [0.85, 0.93] for the DL model and 0.86 [0.81, 0.92] for the Brock model (p = 0.27). In the size-matched subset, AUCs of the DL and Brock models were 0.78 [0.69, 0.88] and 0.58 [0.46, 0.69] (p < 0.01), respectively. At a 10% threshold, the Brock model had a sensitivity of 0.49 [0.35, 0.63] and a specificity of 0.92 [0.89, 0.94]. At a threshold of 17%, the DL model matched the specificity of the Brock model at the 10% threshold, but had a higher sensitivity (0.57 [0.43, 0.71]). Calibration analysis revealed that the DL model overestimated the malignancy probability.

conclusionThe DL model demonstrated good discriminatory performance in a dataset of incidental nodules and outperformed the Brock model, but may need recalibration for clinical practice. KEY POINTS: Question What is the performance of a DL model for pulmonary nodule malignancy risk estimation developed on screening data in a dataset of incidentally detected nodules? Findings The DL model performed well on a dataset of nodules from clinical routine care and outperformed the Brock model in a size-matched subset. Clinical relevance This study provides further evidence about the potential of DL models for risk stratification of incidental nodules, which may improve nodule management in routine clinical practice.

Indexed as

Lung NeoplasmsMultiple Pulmonary NodulesRadiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-AssistedSolitary Pulmonary NoduleTomography, X-Ray ComputedAgedFemaleHumansIncidental FindingsMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesSensitivity and SpecificityArtificial intelligenceLungNeoplasmsSolitary pulmonary noduleTomography (X-ray computed)

Identifiers

PMID40664865
PMCPMC12711984

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.