ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the changes and characteristics of respiratory function and pulmonary function in patients with asbestosis by multi-slice spiral CT imaging.Methods 61 asbestosis patents and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled and divided into normal re spiratory function group,mild injury group and moderate/severe injury group according to forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second.The lungs were scanned at the end of inspiratory and expiratory phase,and the lung volume,lung density and small airway index were measured.Results There were significant differences in lung volume (inspiratory and expiratory volume,volume difference,and volume ratio) among the normal group,the mild injury group and the moderate/severe injury group (all P＜0.05).There were statistically significant differences in the mean lung density (lung density at the end of inspiratory and expiratory phase,lung density difference,lung density ratio) among the three groups (all P＜0.05).There were significant differences in the small airway indexes (tracheal wall thickness ratio at the end of inspiratory and expiratory phase,bronchial wall area ratio) among the three groups (all P＜0.05).Conclusions CT lung function imaging techniques can be used to assess the degree of respiratory dysfunction in asbestosis patients.With the development of pulmonary respiratory dysfunction,the total lung volume decreased,the amount of lungs gradually increased,emphysema gradually increased,and the thickness of small airway wall and alveolar fibrous hypertrophy gradually increased.