Narrowing of the airway in relapsing polychondritis.
Relapsing polychondritis, once thought to be a very rare disease, is being recognized with increasing frequency. It is characterized by inflammation of cartilaginous structures throughout the body. In some cases, the eye and ear are involved; aortic aneurysms develop in a minority of patients. The cartilages of the airway are affected in more than 50% of all cases, and the resulting stenotic lesions can be life-threatening. Radiographic study of the airway is of great value in detection and evaluation of upper respiratory involvement.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011081:Polychondritis, Relapsing / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*