High-resolution computed tomographic imaging of airways in sarcoidosis patients with airflow obstruction.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate airway involvement in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis and airflow obstruction (AO) using high-resolution computed tomography.


METHODS
Forty-two sarcoidosis patients with AO and 42 matched sarcoidosis patients without AO were retrospectively analyzed. High-resolution computed tomographic patterns of airway involvement were bronchial distortion, peribronchovascular thickening, small airway obstruction, and bronchial compression by enlarged lymph nodes.


RESULTS
Interobserver agreement was good (kappa > 0.8). High-resolution computed tomographic patterns of airway involvement were found more frequently, scored higher, and were more often multiple (P < 0.05) in patients with AO than those without. Functional improvement under treatment was observed more frequently in patients with predominant peribronchovascular thickening compared with patients with predominant bronchial distortion (P < 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
In pulmonary sarcoidosis patients with AO, high-resolution computed tomography is a reliable tool to identify underlying airways involvements, which are often multiple, and enables prediction of the therapeutic response.
Naccache
Jean-Marc
JM
Université Paris 13, Service de Pneumologie, Hôpital Avicenne, Bobigny Cedex, France. jean-marc.naccache@avc.aphp.fr
Lavolé
Armelle
A
Nunes
Hilario
H
Lamberto
Christine
C
Letoumelin
Philippe
P
Brauner
Michel
M
Valeyre
Dominique
D
Brillet
Pierre Yves
PY
D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*