title: Thoracic manifestation of Wegener's granulomatosis: CT findings in 30 patients.
abstract: Our objective was to describe the CT findings of thoracic Wegener's granulomatosis. At presentation, both conventional and thin-section CT scans were available in 30 patients with Wegener's granulomatosis. Serial CT scans (range of intervals: 1-25 months, mean 4.5 months) were available in 20 patients. The initial and follow-up CT scans were analyzed retrospectively by two observers in terms of pattern and extent of parenchymal and airway lesions. Positive CT findings were seen in 29 of 30 (97%) patients at initial presentation. The most common pattern was nodules or masses seen in 27 of 30 (90%) patients. They were multiple in 23 of 27 (85%) patients, bilateral in 18 (67%), subpleural in 24 (89%), and peribronchovascular in 11 (41%) in distribution. Bronchial wall thickening in the segmental or subsegmental bronchi was seen in 22 (73%) patients. Large airways were also abnormal in 9 (30%) patients. Patchy areas of consolidation and ground-glass opacity were seen in 7 (23%) patients, respectively. In 17 of 20 (85%) patients in whom follow-up CT scans were available, the parenchymal or airway lesion showed complete or partial improvement with treatment. The CT findings of Wegener's granulomatosis, although multiple and variable, consist mainly of bilateral subpleural or peribronchovascular nodules or masses and bronchial wall thickening in the segmental or subsegmental bronchi. Parenchymal and airway lesions improve with treatment in most patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50, Ilwon-Dong, Kangnam-Ku, Seoul 135-710, Korea. kslee@smc.samsung.co.kr
authors.forename: Kyung Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Tae Sung
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kiminori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moriya
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Ukihide
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tateishi
authors.forename: Kazuoto
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ashizawa
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Johkoh
authors.forename: Eun A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: O Jung
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D014890:Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed