Recently, there has been huge progress in image quality, mainly due to the advances in multidetector CT scanners that give more detailed imaging of lung tissue. By using this information, functional parameters such as volume, mean lung density, bulla index, and emphysema type can be extracted [1]. This quantitative information correlates with functional tests and could help in the assessment of pulmonary diseases [2]. The main objetives of this study are: - To evaluate the relationship between total lung volume (TLV), calculated in inspiration and...

Subjects: We included 17 control subjects and 15 patients with COPD patients. COPD group was defined as: postbronchodilator (postBd) FEV1/FVC<0.7 and postbronchodilator FEV1<80% predicted (pred.) [3]; cigarette smoking history of >20 pack-years; stable condition for at least 2 months; and optimal medical therapy for at least 8 weeks. Exclusion criteria were history of asthma, depression, neuromuscular or disabling cognitive problems, engagement in any exercise-training program in the last 3 months, and other pathologic conditions or severe pain syndromes that could affect physical activity. Eligible persons...

A total of 32 subjects were included in the study. Fig. 4(Table 1)shows the most relevant general data. TLV in expiration correlates with RV (r=0.719, p<0.001) and DLCO (r=-0.583, p=0.004).TLV in inspiration shows correlation with TLC (r=0.731, p<0.001), and with FVC (functional vital capacity) (r=0.591, p=0.043). In the COPD group, TLV also shows correlation with TLC (r=0.691, p=0,19). The difference between inspiration and expiration correlates with FEV1 (r=0.79, p<0.10), FEV1, % predictive (pred.) (r=0.651, p=0.022) and postBd FEV1 (r=0.577, p=0.050). The difference between inspiration and...

Lung volumes determined by multidetector CT reconstructions have good correlation with static lung volumes and DLCO in both healthy subjects and COPD patients, although their degree of agreement is not sufficient to constitute an alternative measurement individually.

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