title: Correlation of lung abnormalities on high-resolution CT with clinical graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic versus autologous bone marrow transplantation in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Late-onset noninfectious pulmonary complications (LONIPCs) are life-threatening complications of bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Several pathological patterns are described in the literature with different prognoses, and with different relationships to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The role of high-resolution CT (HRCT) is not yet well established.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To illustrate different patterns of LONIPCs on HRCT in allogeneic versus autologous BMT in order to investigate the correlation with chronic GVHD (cGVHD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 67 HRCT scans were performed in 24 patients with noninfectious pulmonary disease at least 3 months after BMT (16 allogeneic, 8 autologous). Abnormality patterns and extension on HRCT images were correlated with the clinical outcome and with the severity of cGVHD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 24 patients, 9 showed LONIPCs (1 autologous, 8 allogeneic). There was a significant association between abnormalities on HRCT and severe cGVHD (P = 0.038), with no specific pattern. Prognosis seemed to be related to the severity of cGVHD and not to the extent of abnormalities on HRCT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The significant association between abnormalities on HRCT and severe GVHD suggests that LONIPCs can be a pulmonary manifestation of the disease. HRCT is a useful tool when combined with clinical data.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Radiology Unit, University of Geneva Children's Hospital, Geneva 1205, Switzerland. laura.merlini@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Merlini
authors.forename: Irene Maria Olivia
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Borzani
authors.forename: Mehrak
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anooshiravani
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rochat
authors.forename: Ayse Hulya
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ozsahin
authors.forename: Sylviane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hanquinet