title: [Lung transplantation: the physiopathological considerations and imaging diagnosis problems].
abstract: In the last years, lung transplantation has become a widely accepted treatment for the patients suffering from end-stage chronic lung disease. This study was aimed at investigating the role of diagnostic imaging techniques before and after lung transplantation, in the light of the physiopathological changes occurring in transplanted lungs. Our study included 4 patients (3 men and 1 woman, age range: 33-58 years): 3 of them underwent single lung transplantation and one double lung transplantation. All the operations were successful. Chest radiographs and HRCT showed the main early and late complications that occurred after transplantation. In the early postoperative period, the reperfusion syndrome was observed in 2 patients and acute rejection in the 3 patients submitted to single lung transplantation. In the late postoperative period, chronic rejection occurred in the patient submitted to left lung transplantation. None of our patients presented any infection or such airway complications as bronchial dehiscence or strictures. Both literature data and our personal experience show that preoperative diagnostic imaging allows the assessment of lung conditions, which helps choose the better side for transplantation. Moreover, lung size must be studied to match the donor's lung to the recipient's chest. In the postoperative period, both early and late complications must be investigated, all of them characterized by aspecific radiologic findings. Currently, time plays a major diagnostic role but we hope that more accurate interpretation of radiologic findings will improve the clinical assessment of lung transplant recipients.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Radiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Policlinico A. Gemelli, Roma.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pirronti
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Colavito
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Macis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nanni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
vernacular_title: Trapianto del polmone: considerazioni fisiopatologiche e problematiche di diagnostica per immagini.