Objective To compare three CT parameters in predicting the invasiveness of less invasive peripheral non-small cell lung cancer. Methods 156 peripheral patients with NSCLC were analyzed retrospectively. The maximum diameter of nodule, solid area diameters as well as proportion of GGO diameters to solid area diameters[(GGO diameters-solid area diameters)/GGO diameters]×100% were abtained. The correlation between each parameters and pathological invasiveness were also explored. Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to analysis the sensitivity and specificity of three parameters in predicting less invasive lung cancer. Less invasive lung cancer was defined as those having no vascular, lymphatic, or pleural invasion or lymph node metastasis. Results 156 patients (58 male, 98 female, mean age 63 years old) were enrolled. 138 were adenocarcinoma. ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve of proportion of GGO was the highest (0.823; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.801-0.786), followed by the solid area diameter (0.782; 95% CI, 0.734-0.825), and then whole nodule diameter (0.623; 95% CI, 0.564-0.678). Conclusion Proportion of GGO and the solid area diameter have important value for predicting invasiveness of less invasive lung cancer.