Keywords:
Respiratory system, CT, Computer Applications-3D, Contrast agent-other, Chronic obstructive airways disease
Authors:
M. kobayashi, N. Shiraga, Y. Okada, K. SUZUKI, K. Sugino, S. Homma; Tokyo/JP
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2013/C-1888
Purpose
For the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
pulmonary function tests have been used to assess the global status,
and low attenuation area (LAA) volumetry has been used for pulmonary emphysema evaluation.
Each method has some essential problems which prevent us from assessing COPD correctly.
Pulmonary function tests are not well acceptable for those who have severe lung disease or those who cannot undergo spirometer properly because of their personal problems,
i.e.
age,
general conditions,
etc.
LAA volumetry depends on the threshold of CT value and might differ with CT machines undergone.
Xenon ventilation CT with single xenon gas inhalation needs less effort and time.
Thus,
it is well acceptable for the patients with severe COPD and those who cannot undergo pulmonary function tests because of their age and so on.
And xenon ventilation CT can properly evaluate the air space (alveolus) volume communicating with bronchiole- bronchus systems.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness and advantage of xenon ventilation CT in patients with COPD comparing with conventional CT of low attenuation volume measurement.