Use of MDCT to Assess the Results of Bronchial Thermoplasty.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of MDCT to assess response to bronchial thermoplasty treatment for severe persistent asthma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MDCT data from 26 patients with severe persistent asthma who underwent imaging before and after bronchial thermoplasty were analyzed retrospectively. Changes in the following parameters were assessed: total lung volume, mean lung density, airway wall thickness, CT air trapping index (attenuation < -856 HU), and expiratory-inspiratory ratio of mean lung density (E/I index). Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire score changes were also assessed. RESULTS: Median total lung volumes before and after bronchial thermoplasty were 2668 mL (range, 2226-3096 mL) and 2399 mL (range, 1964-2802 mL; p = 0.08), respectively. Patients also showed a pattern of obstruction improvement in air trapping values (median before thermoplasty, 14.25%; median after thermoplasty, 3.65%; p < 0.001] and in mean lung density values ± SD (before thermoplasty, -702 ± 72 HU; after thermoplasty, -655 ± 66 HU; p < 0.01). Median airway wall thickness also decreased after bronchial thermoplasty (before thermoplasty, 1.5 mm; after thermoplasty, 1.1 mm; p < 0.05). There was a mean Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire overall score change of 1.00 ± 1.35 (p < 0.001), indicating asthma clinical improvement. CONCLUSION: Our study showed improvement in CT measurements after bronchial thermoplasty, along with Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire score changes. Thus, MDCT could be useful for imaging evaluation of patients undergoing this treatment.

Magnetic resonance of the lung: a step forward in the study of lung disease.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lung has progressed tremendously in recent years. Because of improvements in speed and image quality, MRI is now ready for routine clinical use. The main advantage of MRI of the lung is its unique combination of structural and functional assessment in a single imaging session. We review the three major clinical indications for MRI of the lung: staging of lung tumors; evaluation of pulmonary vascular disease; and investigation of pulmonary abnormalities in patients who should not be exposed to radiation.

Ressonância magnética de pulmão: um novo passo no estudo das doenças pulmonares / Magnetic resonance of the lung: a step forward in the study of lung disease

A ressonância magnética (RM) de pulmão progrediu tremendamente nos últimos anos. Devido a melhorias na velocidade e na qualidade de imagens, a RM de pulmão hoje está pronta para a utilização clínica de rotina. A principal vantagem da RM de pulmão é a sua combinação exclusiva de avaliação estrutural e funcional em uma única sessão de imagens. Revisamos aqui as três principais indicações clínicas da RM de pulmão: o estadiamento de tumores pulmonares, a avaliação de doença vascular pulmonar e a investigação de anormalidades pulmonares em pacientes que não podem ser expostos à radiação.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lung has progressed tremendously in recent years. Because of improvements in speed and image quality, MRI is now ready for routine clinical use. The main advantage of MRI of the lung is its unique combination of structural and functional assessment in a single imaging session. We review the three major clinical indications for MRI of the lung: staging of lung tumors; evaluation of pulmonary vascular disease; and investigation of pulmonary abnormalities in patients who should not be exposed to radiation.

Survival in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis-cytotoxic agents compared to corticosteroids.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the survival of patients with IPF treated retrospectively with corticosteroids alone, to survival of patients treated with immunosuppressive and corticosteroids combined. DESIGN: Non-randomized retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Three tertiary centers in Brazil. PATIENTS: Eighty-two IPF patients were included. The diagnosis was confirmed by open lung biopsy in 48. Patients received either corticosteroids alone (group I) or cytotoxic agents in addition to corticosteroids (group II). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The primary end-point was mortality. Secondary outcome included longitudinal changes in FVC. Mean age was 66+/-8 years. FVC was 71+/-17% of predicted. There were 48 deaths during the study period (59%), 44 secondary to respiratory causes. From preliminary univariate analysis, for the group as a whole, worse survival was found to be associated with FVC% <70% of predicted (P=0.004), evidence of disease progression by follow-up FVC measurements (P=0.01), and pharmacologic treatment (P=0.014). Median survival was 25 months for the group I, and 45 months for the group II (Log-Rank=6.45, P=0.01). After adjusting for FVC > or =70% and<70% of predicted, there was evidence to indicate that survival was associated with recommended pharmacologic treatment only in patients with FVC> or =70% (Log Rank=6.84, P=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of immunosuppressive agents and prednisone results in better survival when compared to prednisone alone in patients with IPF. The benefit seems to occur only in patients with less severe disease, as reflected by FVC> or =70%.

Doença broncopulmonar obstrutiva crônica (DBPOC): estudo de 255 pacientes (395 internaçöes) / Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: study of 255 patients

Analisam-se os casos de 255 pacientes portadores de DBPOC (enfisema pulmonar e/ou bronquite crônica) que tiveram a primeira internaçäo no serviço no período 1977-1984; 219(86,0%) eram homens com média de idade de 60,7 anos. Havia 229 fumantes (89,40%) - em média 26,7 cigarros/dia, e durante 41 anos. Dos 255 pacientes, 187 (Grupo I) tiveram somente uma internaçäo no serviço, e 68 (Grupo II) hospitalizaram-se de duas a dez vezes, até o ano de 1987. A soma das primeiras internaçöes com as reinternaçöes totalizou 395 hospitalizaçöes. A causa mais comum desencadeante das internaçöes foi infecçäo respiratória (41,0%), ocorrendo especialmente durante o inverno ou início da primavera. Verificou-se o padräo "enfisematoso" da DBPOC em 32,5% dos pacientes, o "bronquítico" em 10,0% e 57,5% eram casos "mistos". Tosse, expectoraçäo e dispnéia foram os sintomas mais freqüentes (em torno de 85,0%); sibilância ocorreu em 47,5% dos pacientes, e em 12,0% cianose. Evidências de insuficiência cardíaca, esquerda associada a DBPOC foram detectadas em 50 pacientes (19,6%), e 28(11,0%) tinham "cor pulmonale". O VEF1 foi inferior a 1,2 litros em 58,0% dos pacientes, já na primeira internaçäo. Metade dos pacientes tinha PaO2 abaixo de 60 mmHg (um terço dos quais com hipercapnia). Achado radiográfico sugestivo de pneumonia esteve presente em 57,5% dos pacientes na primeira internaçäo, e em 34,0% das reinternaçöes. Oito pacientes (3,0%) tiveram pneumotórax. Pneumococo e/ou Haemophoilus influenzae foram encontrados na escarro de 88,5% dos pacientes infectados. Todos os pacientes receberam tratamento clínico, e sete também cirúrgico (drenagem de pneumotórax, em geral)...