Role of Thin-Section Helical Computed Tomography for Categorizing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Quantitative Assessment of Airway and Parenchymal Components

Abstract

Background: The lung disorder known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is typified by persistent, frequently worsening airflow restriction brought on by anomalies of the airways and/or alveoli. Objectives: To categorize COPD based on quantitative assessment of airway and parenchymal components by MDCT and to determine the relationship between bronchial wall thickening and spirometry.
Methods: The study included patients aged 35-83, with an average age of 64.1±9.45 years. The study group was predominantly male, with 80 male and 20 female patients. All patients showed an obstructive pattern with varying degrees of severity.
Results: The study showed a male-to female ratio of 4:1; the average BMI was 18.70±2.57. Patients exhibited mild 39%, moderate39%, and severe 22% emphysematous changes based on quantitative assessment of CT. Most patients (37%) had mixed centrilobular and paraseptal, followed by 31% with centrilobular, 19% panacinar, and 13% paraseptal phenotypes of emphysema. The mean lung attenuation calculations revealed the lowest attenuation of -963 HU in the right lung of a patient with a large emphysematous bulla.
Conclusion: Quantifying, prognosticating, and classifying patients into groups that recognize the precise distribution and severity of emphysema is quantitative HRCT. This allows for a personalized approach to diagnosis and therapy for each patient.