[A high-resolution computed tomographic study of the pulmonary interstitium in systemic autoimmune diseases].
This study was aimed at assessing the diagnostic capabilities of radiologic imaging in systemic autoimmune diseases. Forty-one patients (37 women and 4 men, mean age: 57.9 years, range: 37-73) were examined: 17 of them had rheumatoid arthritis, 8 Sjögren's syndrome, 11 progressive systemic sclerosis, 3 systemic lupus erythematosus, 1 mixed connective tissue disease and 1 undifferentiated connective tissue disease. The clinical features were compared with chest X-ray and HRCT findings. Functional lung examination (spirometry) was performed in 30 patients and in 22 of them chest X-ray findings could be compared with HRCT results since the examinations were performed on the same day. Seventeen patients complained of dyspnea (41.4%) and CO diffusion was reduced in 53% of the investigated patients. Chest films showed interstitial changes in 14 of 22 patients (63.6%), while HRCT findings were abnormal in 90.2% of the patients. Significant changes in HRCT patterns were detected only in 7 of the patients complaining of dyspnea (41.1%) and in 5 of the patients with reduced CO diffusion. In conclusion, HRCT proved to be much more sensitive than plain chest films. Dyspnea and functional respiratory tests correlated poorly with HRCT findings.
Lodi Rizzini
F
F
Servizio di Immunologia Clinica, Spedali Civili, Brescia.
Tosoni
C
C
Robecchi
D
D
Franzini
M
M
Superti
G
G
Cattaneo
R
R
Bergonzini
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
Studio con tomografia computerizzata con alta risoluzione dell'interstizio polmonare in alcune malattie autoimmuni sistemiche.