title: Differences of airway dimensions between patients with and without bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung transplantation-Computer-assisted quantification of computed tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of our retrospective study was to determine whether a dedicated software for assessment of airway morphology can detect differences in airway dimensions between patients with and without bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), regarded as the clinical correlate of chronic lung allograft rejection.
  
  
  METHODS
  12 patients with and 14 patients without diagnosis of BOS were enrolled in the study. Evaluation of bronchial wall area percentage (WA%) and bronchial wall thickness (WT) in all follow-up CT scans was performed using a semiautomatic airway assessment tool. We assessed temporal changes (ΔWA%, ΔWT) and compared these morphological parameters with forced expiratory volume in one second (ΔFEV1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In patients with and without BOS, the temporal changes over the entire follow-up were 26.6% versus 16.2% for ΔFEV1 (p=0.034), 14.2% versus 5.4% for ΔWA% (p=0.003) and 0.212mm versus 0.064mm for ΔWT (p=0.011).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We detected significant differences of the temporal changes of airway dimensions (ΔWA%, ΔWT) between lung transplant recipients with and without BOS. We conclude that computer-assisted bronchial wall measurements in CT scans might complement the information from pulmonary function tests and establish as a non-invasive method to confirm BOS in lung transplant recipients in the future.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany; Institute of Radiology, Charité University Medicine, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: felix.doellinger@charite.de.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Doellinger
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany; Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 110, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Translational Lung Research Center (TLRC) Heidelberg, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Im Neuenheimer Feld 350, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Weinheimer
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zwiener
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany; Department of Thoracic Surgery, Kerckhoff Clinic, Benekestr. 2-8, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Eckhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Department, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buhl
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiology, Charité University Medicine, Campus Charité Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Ute Lina
authors.initials: UL
authors.lastname: Fahlenkamp
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dueber
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany; Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, St. Vinzenz-Hospital, Merheimer Str. 221-223, 50733 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Achenbach
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D064591:Allografts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000637:transplantation*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D001989:Bronchiolitis Obliterans / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013577:Syndrome; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Airway wall; Bronchiolitis obliterans; Lung transplantation; Software; Tomography