title: The lung in systemic vasculitis: radiological patterns and differential diagnosis.
abstract: The respiratory system may be involved in all systemic vasculitides, although with a variable frequency. The aim of our review is to describe radiographic and high-resolution CT (HRCT) findings of pulmonary vasculitides and to correlate radiological findings with pathological results. Lung disease is a common feature of antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated small-vessel vasculitides, including granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's), eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss) and microscopic polyangiitis. Pulmonary involvement is less frequent in immune-complex-mediated small-vessel vasculitides, such as Behçet's disease and Goodpasture's syndrome. Pulmonary involvement associated to large-vessel (gigantocellular arteritis and Takayasu's disease) or medium-vessel (nodose polyarteritis and Kawasaki's disease) vasculitides is extremely rare. The present review describes the main clinical and radiological features of pulmonary vasculitides with major purpose to correlate HRCT findings (solitary or multiple nodules, cavitary lesions, micronodules with centrilobular or peribronchial distribution, airspace consolidations, "crazy paving", tracheobronchial involvement, interstitial disease) with pathological results paying particular attention to the description of acute life-threatening manifestations. A thorough medical history, careful clinical examination and the knowledge of radiological patterns are mandatory for a correct and early diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio" University, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Feragalli
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Neuroscience and Imaging, Section of Diagnostic Imaging and Therapy-Radiology Division, "G. d'Annunzio" University, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mantini
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Internal Medicine, Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound Unit, Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Hospital, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sperandeo
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Emergency Radiology, S. Camillo Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galluzzo
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Biomedical Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio" University, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Belcaro
authors.affiliation: 6 Department of Neuroscience and Imaging, Section of Diagnostic Imaging and Therapy-Radiology Division, "G. d'Annunzio" University, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tartaro
authors.affiliation: 6 Department of Neuroscience and Imaging, Section of Diagnostic Imaging and Therapy-Radiology Division, "G. d'Annunzio" University, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Cotroneo
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D056647:Systemic Vasculitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed