Computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy: normal variants, pitfalls, and spectrum of common and rare pathology.
A broad spectrum of pathologies that involve the laryngotracheobronchial airway and imaging plays a crucial role in evaluating these abnormalities. Computed tomography with virtual bronchoscopy has been found to be very helpful in defining the location, extent, and nature of these lesions, and is increasingly being used even in patients with contraindications for fiberoptic bronchoscopy and laryngoscopy. Ionizing radiation, associated with virtual bronchoscopy, can be minimized by using low-dose multidetector computed tomography and hybrid iterative reconstruction techniques. Furthermore, retrospectively generated virtual bronchoscopy from a routinely acquired computed tomography data set eliminates additional cost and radiation. In the future, virtual bronchoscopy assisted with advanced navigational techniques will broaden the diagnostic and therapeutic landscape. This article presents the characteristic features of common and rare laryngotracheobronchial pathologies seen with virtual bronchoscopy.
Department of Medical Imaging, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: daskmoy@gmail.com.
K M
KM
Das
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Hani
H
Lababidi
Department of Pathology, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Sadeq
S
Al Dandan
Department of Medical Imaging, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Department of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
Shanker
S
Raja
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Department of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Science, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Hussam
H
Sakkijha
Department of Medical Imaging, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Mohammad
M
Al Zoum
Department of Medical Imaging, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Khalid
K
AlDosari
Department of Medical Imaging, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Sven G
SG
Larsson
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D001983:Bronchial Fistula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004937:Esophageal Fistula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009181:Mycoses / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010009:Osteochondrodysplasias / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D035583:Rare Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012142:Respiratory Tract Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D055815:Young Adult
Conventional fiberoptic bronchoscopy; Laryngotracheobronchial pathology; Multidetector computed tomography; Virtual bronchoscopy