Diagnostic yield of computed tomography and densitometric measurements of the lung in thoracoscopically-defined idiopathic spontaneous pneumothorax

Respiratory Medicine
A F van BelleE F Wouters

Abstract

In the present study, the diagnostic yield of high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is evaluated in patients with thoracoscopically-verified idiopathic spontaneous pneumothorax (SP). Visual assessment as well as densitometry of lung parenchyma was performed. In eight of the 20 prospectively-evaluated SP patients, emphysema-like (EL) changes such as blebs and bullae could be detected. The SP patients with EL changes were significantly older and were more heavy smokers. Spirometrically-controlled CT lung densitometry showed no differences between the patient group with or without these EL changes. Comparing the densitometric measurements of the patient group with a healthy control group no significant differences in densitometry between both groups were found. In conclusion, this study confirms that HRCT is a reliable method of detecting blebs and bullae in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax. Furthermore CT lung densitometry revealed no parenchymal abnormalities or signs of air trapping in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax.

References

Dec 1, 1991·AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology·N L Müller
Jan 1, 1996·Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography·G J KemerinkJ M van Engelshoven
Apr 1, 1997·American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·S EdaF Sakai
Oct 8, 1998·The European Respiratory Journal·V CottinJ F Cordier

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Citations

Aug 26, 2006·International Journal of Clinical Practice·A Miller

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