Discussion
Diagnosis With Brief Discussion
- Diagnosis
- Diffuse panbronchiolitis
- Radiologic Findings
- Plain chest radiograph shows diffuse small nodules with mid- and lower lung zones predominancy, associated with mild overinflation. Thin-section CT scans obtained through both lower lobes show small centrilobular nodules, branching linear opacities and brochiolectasis.
- Brief Review
- Diffuse panbronchiolitis is a disese of unknown etiology and pathogenesis associated with chronic inflammation of the paranasal sinuses and respiratory bronchioles. The latter is characterized histologically by luminal obliteration and a sriking accumulation of foamy macrophages in the walls of bronchioles, alveolar ducts, and adjacent parenchyma. The disease has been recognized almost exclusively in Japan and South Korea.
Radiographic abnormalities consist of diffuse nodules smaller than 5 mm in diameter and mild to moderate hyperinflation. The findings on HRCT are characteristic and include small centrilobular nodules and branching linear opacities, bronchiolectasis, bronchiectasis, and mosaic areas of decreased parenchymal attenuation. The presence of these findings is related to the stage of the disease: the earliest manifestation consists of centrilobular nodular opacities, followed by branching linear opacities that connect the the nodules, followed by thick-walled, centrilobular lucencies. These findings have been shown to correspond, respectively, to bronchiolar wall and peribronchiolar inflammation and fibrosis, bronchiolar dilatation with the presence of intraluminal secretions, and dilated air-filled bronchioles. Late manifestations of the disease include large, cystic spaces; bullae; and evidence of air trapping with large lung volumes and decreased attenuation of peripheral lung parenchyma
- References
- Muller NL, Fraser RS, Lee KS, Johkoh T. Bronchiolitis. In: John JR, ed. Diseases of the Lung. 1st ed. Philadelphia, PA: LWW, 2003; 298-300
- Keywords
- Lung, Non-infectious inflammation,