Imaging of airways: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Visualization of airways in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients is important for understanding the disease and therapeutic management. Today a perpendicular visualization and measurement of airway diameter and wall thickness are possible. Postprocessing software allows for the automatic segmentation and quantification. MR imaging is well suited for gaining functional information on perfusion and ventilation in COPD, while direct visualization and measurement of peripheral airways is not possible up to now.
Ley-Zaporozhan
Julia
J
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 430, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. julia.leyzaporozhan@gmail.com
Kauczor
Hans-Ulrich
HU
D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed