Authors:
F. Okada1, Y. Ando1, S. Tanoue2, S. Matsumoto2, H. Mori2; 1Yufu/JP, 2Oita/JP
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2008/C-238
Conclusions
1. In summary, in patients with mainly tree-in-bud appearance the overwhelming likelihood is that the underlying cause was related to infection, excepting diffuse aspiration bronchiolitis (DAB) and diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB).
2. On the other hand, patients with mainly ill-defined centrilobular nodules essentially never have underlying infection as an etiology.
3. Moreover, bronchiectasis was also a manifestation of infection in the vast majority of cases. Bronchiectasis was usually only associated with diseases with tree-in-bud appearance.
4. Knowledge of the two centrilobular patterns is of proven worth for generating differential diagnoses, and is of particular value in suggesting a likely infectious etiology in cases with tree-in-bud appearance.