title: Diseases affecting the peribronchovascular interstitium: CT findings and pathologic correlation.
abstract: Central bronchi and pulmonary arteries are surrounded and enveloped by a strong connective-tissue sheath termed the peribronchovascular interstitium, extending from the level of the pulmonary hila into the peripheral lung. Thickening of the peribronchovascular interstitium can be seen in a wide variety of diseases. The CT appearance can be smooth, nodular, or irregular depending on the underlying cause. Many of the diseases affecting the peribronchovascular interstitium are entities that show a predilection for lymphatic routes, such as sarcoidosis, pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomatosis, silicosis, and lymphoproliferative disorders. There are other entities that mainly affect the peribronchovascular interstitium without a predominant perilymphatic distribution, such as hydrostatic pulmonary edema, cryptogenic organizing pneumonia, Kaposi's sarcoma, interstitial pulmonary emphysema, and interstitial hemorrhage. Although there is an overlap in radiologic features, some CT findings are useful in differentiating among these entities. When CT shows mainly peribronchovascular abnormality, the differential diagnosis is considerably reduced, and it is generally possible to reach the correct diagnosis by considering the clinical context. We illustrate the CT findings and pathologic correlation for a number of different disorders that mainly affect the peribronchovascular interstitium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiolology, SDI UDIAT-CD, Institut Universitari Parc Taulí-UAB, Barcelona, Spain. ecastaner@cspt.es
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Castañer
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gallardo
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pallardó
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Branera
authors.forename: María Angeles
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cabezuelo
authors.forename: Josep María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mata
mesh_terms: D001981:Bronchial Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018549:Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000473:pathology; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012829:Silicosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*