BRONCHIAL WALL THICKENING RECOGNITION FOR REDUCED FALSE-POSITIVES IN PULMONARY NODULE DETECTION

A system and method for automatically reducing false-positive nodule candidates associated with airways includes receiving a nodule candidate, testing for airway cavities connected to the candidate, and recognizing the candidate as a false-positive nodule candidate if it is connected to an airway cavity; where the testing may include perpendicular testing for airways that are relatively perpendicular to an examination plane and parallel testing for airways that are relatively parallel to an examination plane.