title: Fibrosing alveolitis: prognostic implication of ground-glass attenuation at high-resolution CT.
abstract: To evaluate the prognostic implication of ground-glass attenuation at high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in assessing response to treatment in fibrosing alveolitis, the authors correlated HRCT findings with the improvement in pulmonary function, as represented by the increase in percentage predicted values on pulmonary function tests after corticosteroid therapy. Nineteen patients underwent HRCT before treatment and pulmonary function testing before and after treatment. The HRCT scans were reviewed by two independent observers. Areas of ground-glass attenuation were quantified subjectively by using a 0%-100% scale with 10% increments. The extent of ground-glass attenuation at HRCT was significantly correlated with improvement in diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (r = .67, P = .0019), forced vital capacity (r = .71, P = .0007), and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (r = .64, P = .0034) after steroid treatment. These results suggest that ground-glass attenuation at HRCT is a good predictor of response to treatment in fibrosing alveolitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Korea.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones