title: Magnetic Resonance Imaging May Be a Valuable Radiation-Free Technique for Lung Pathologies in Patients with Primary Immunodeficiency.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In some primary immunodeficiency (PID) patients, especially in the subgroup with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), radiosensitivity is a concern and avoidance of repeated radiation exposure has been recommended. To investigate the use of lung Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) instead of Computed Tomography (CT) for the diagnosis and follow-up of various lesions in the lung parenchyma and airways, especially in PID patients in whom x-ray exposure should be limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study enrolled 23 patients with PID who underwent thorax CT within the last 3 months and/or who will undergo initial radiological assessment. Lung MRI was performed in all patients to compare the pulmonary findings with CT images.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MRI performance was weaker at detecting bronchiectasis extension, and a low concordance was found between MRI and CT in the assessment of the number of bronchial generations. CT better identified peripheral airway abnormalities, while CT and MRI gave similar results for detecting the presence and extension of consolidation, bullae, mucus plugging, bronchial wall thickening, bronchiectasis severity and nodules.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the low spatial resolution, higher cost, and low availability, we suggest MRI as a possible radiation-free alternative to CT in selected patients with PID.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy and Immunology Diseases, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram, Konya, Turkey. sevketarslan77@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Sevket
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Necdet
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Poyraz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy and Immunology Diseases, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ucar
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, Konya Training and Research Hospital, Meram, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mihrican
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yesildag
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yesildag
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy and Immunology Diseases, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet Zafer
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Caliskaner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism; D011827:Radiation; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Primary immunodeficiency; computerized tomography; lung imaging; magnetic resonance imaging; radiosensitivity