Can computed tomography quantify pulmonary emphysema?

In the last decade, several studies have suggested the possible role of computed tomography (CT) in the detection and the quantification of pulmonary emphysema. In order to verify whether this new method is adequately validated, this article gives an overview of these studies. The review shows that most of the studies used conventional CT and were based on visual scoring. Only a few were based on high resolution CT (HRCT) or concerned objective measurements of computed density. In addition, only a few studies included normal subjects and distinguished centrilobular from panlobular emphysema. The number of scans obtained in each study is extremely variable, whilst the minimum number necessary to provide accurate results remains unknown. Recently, automatic objective procedures which are truly quantitative and are applicable to HRCT have been made available. They should take the place of subjective scoring methods but further studies, based on macroscopic as well as on microscopic comparisons, are needed to validate and to standardize these techniques.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. M. Trotta, A. V. Stolin, M. B. Williams, S. B. Gay, A. S. Brody, and T. A. Altes Characterization of the Relation Between CT Technical Parameters and Accuracy of Quantification of Lung Attenuation on Quantitative Chest CT Am. J. Roentgenol., June 1, 2007; 188(6): 1683 - 1690. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. S. K. Tanoli, J. C. Woods, M. S. Conradi, K. T. Bae, D. S. Gierada, J. C. Hogg, J. D. Cooper, and D. A. Yablonskiy In vivo lung morphometry with hyperpolarized 3He diffusion MRI in canines with induced emphysema: disease progression and comparison with computed tomography J Appl Physiol, January 1, 2007; 102(1): 477 - 484. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Onclinx, V. De Maertelaer, P. Gustin, and P. A. Gevenois Elastase-induced Pulmonary Emphysema in Rats: Comparison of Computed Density and Microscopic Morphometry Radiology, December 1, 2006; 241(3): 763 - 770. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. L. Boedeker, M. F. McNitt-Gray, S. R. Rogers, D. A. Truong, M. S. Brown, D. W. Gjertson, and J. G. Goldin Emphysema: Effect of Reconstruction Algorithm on CT Imaging Measures Radiology, July 1, 2004; 232(1): 295 - 301. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P.R. Salameh, I. Baldi, P. Brochard, C. Raherison, B. Abi Saleh, and R. Salamon Respiratory symptoms in children and exposure to pesticides Eur. Respir. J., September 1, 2003; 22(3): 507 - 512. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N L Muller and H Coxson Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease * 4: Imaging the lungs in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Thorax, November 1, 2002; 57(11): 982 - 985. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]