Keywords:
Lung, Lymph nodes, Mediastinum, CT, PACS, CT-High Resolution, Sclerosis, Diagnostic procedure, Chronic obstructive airways disease, Connective tissue disorders, Cysts
Authors:
F. Ufuk, B. Yagci, P. Cakmak, E. Sağtaş, M. ARSLAN; Denizli/TR
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2018/C-0238
Results
Totally,
51 patients (88.2% women [45 of 51] and 11.8% men [6 of 51]; mean age,
49.2 years + 13.9; range 18 - 71 years) who met the appropriate conditions were included in the study.
The mean time from diagnosis of SS to HRCT was 8 days (range; 1-23 days).
We found that 10 patients (19,6%,
8 women,
2 men) had a honeycombing dominant pattern on HRCT.
We found that 41 patients (80,4%,
37 women,
4 men) had a ground-glass dominant pattern on HRCT.
The age of patients diagnosed as honeycombing dominant pattern was higher than that of ground-glass,
but it was not statistically significant (55.6 + 12.2 years’ vs 47.7 + 13.9 years; p = 0.095).
Other HRCT findings frequencies,
mean ages and statistical differences between the ages in patients with SS-ILD are shown in table-1.
Also,
correlations of variables are shown in table-2.
Table – 1: HRCT findings in patients with systemic sclerosis-interstitial lung disease (SS-ILD).
HRCT Finding
|
Yes
|
No
|
P value
|
|
n (%) Mean Age
|
n (%) Mean Age
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Air trapping
|
9 (17,6%)
|
42 (82,4%)
|
|
|
50.8 years
|
48.9 years
|
0.717
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Esophagus dilatation
|
45 (88,2%)
|
6 (11,8%)
|
|
|
|
50.2 years
|
41.8 years
|
0.166
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lung cysts
|
4 (7,8%)
|
47 (92,2%)
|
|
|
|
55 years
|
48.7 years
|
0.392
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aspiration
|
4 (7,8%)
|
47 (92,2%)
|
|
|
|
52.2 years
|
48.9 years
|
0.655
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bronchiectasis
|
36 (70,6%)
|
15 (29,4%)
|
|
|
|
51.4 years
|
43.9 years
|
0.07
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bronchiololectasis
|
9 (17,6%)
|
42 (82,4%)
|
|
|
|
37.6 years
|
51.7 years
|
0.005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Table – 2: Correlations of variables.
|
1
|
2
|
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
1.
Pattern
|
1
|
-0,03
|
|
-0,18
|
0,14
|
-0,22
|
-0,21
|
0,01
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.
Air-trapping
|
-0,03
|
1
|
|
-0,31*
|
-0,13
|
0,25
|
-0,04
|
-0,21
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.
Esophagus
Dilatation
|
-0,18
|
0-,31*
|
|
1
|
0,11
|
0,11
|
0,16
|
0,17
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.
Lung Cyst
(Non-honeycombing)
|
0,14
|
-0,13
|
|
0,11
|
1
|
-0,08
|
-0,13
|
-0,13
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.
Aspiration
Nodules
|
-0,22
|
0,25
|
|
0,11
|
-0,08
|
1
|
0,19
|
-0,13
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6.
Bronchiectasis
|
-0,21
|
-0,04
|
|
0,16
|
-0,13
|
0,19
|
1
|
-0,15
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7.Bronchioloectasis
|
0,01
|
-0,21
|
|
0,17
|
-0,13
|
-0,13
|
-0,15
|
1
|
*p < 0.05,
**p < 0.01,
MLNE; mediastinal lymph node enlargement
A statistically significant correlation was found between the presence of air trapping and the presence of esophageal dilatation (p = 0.027,
r = − 310).
There was no statistically significant correlation between parenchyma pattern (honeycombing or ground-glass) and other HRCT findings. The multiple lung cysts (non-honeycombing) was found in 4 cases and cysts were thin-walled,
varied 0.5 to 2 centimeters in size and generally distributed in the lower lobes (Fig.
1). According to the categorization made by Goh et al.
[9] we found the mean HRCT extensity score was 12.1 + 13.5,
ranging from 1 to 50.
Mild disease was observed in 42 patients and extensive disease in 9 patients (Fig.
2-6).
The mean age of those with mild disease was significantly lower than those with extensive disease (47.2 + 14.1 vs 58.6 + 7.2; p = 0.023).
There was also a significant correlation between age and HRCT extensity score (p = 0.014,
r = 0.342).