title: Does high-resolution CT has diagnostic value in patients presenting with respiratory symptoms after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) can be complicated by a variety of live-threatening infectious and non-infectious pulmonary complications. The management of these complications is critically dependent on the most probable diagnosis, which is in part based on imaging work-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review of the literature related to the diagnostic value of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in patients who underwent SCT and developed respiratory symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Literature review did not reveal systematic cohort studies that included patients with respiratory symptoms post-SCT who underwent HRCT and had a well-defined outcome. Most studies selected participants based on their final diagnosis instead of the indication for diagnostic testing in practice. Nevertheless, several papers clearly indicated a potential role for HRCT when complications after SCT occur. A variety of articles described the role of certain HRCT findings in the diagnosis of specific infectious complications, but less data were available for non-infectious complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe more diagnostic studies are needed to determine the value of HRCT for a specific diagnosis in SCT-recipients who present with respiratory symptoms at the transplant clinic. Currently, radiologists should be cautious since HRCT interpretation in these patients is not unambiguous.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht and Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Utrecht, Netherlands. S.C.Wijers@students.uu.nl
authors.forename: Sofieke C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Wijers
authors.forename: Jaap Jan
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Boelens
authors.forename: Martine F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Raphael
authors.forename: Frederik J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Beek
authors.forename: Pim A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: de Jong
mesh_terms: D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*