Purpose
The present study aimed to describe chest HRCT findings depicted in former tobacco smokers after years of smoking cessation.
Methods & Materials
Ninety-two former tobacco smokers (60 men,
32 women,
median age 48 years) were prospectively recruited.
Patients with active bronchial asthma,
recent respiratory tract infection,
thromboembolic lung disease or known exposure to dusts were excluded from the study.
All patients were light smokers (<10 pack-years) for 12-22 years and quit smoking 5-15 years ago.
They all underwent native paired inspiratory and expiratory chest HRCT on a 128 slice CT scanner (GE Optima CT 660) with 1mm slice thickness.
Inspiratory scans were evaluated for the presence of...
Results
Areas of centrilobular emphysema were depicted in all 92 patients,
paraseptal emphysema lesions in 72,
while micronodules were seen in 48 patients (Figure 2).
All patients showed bronchial wall thickening,
68 of grade 1 and 24 of grade 2 (Figure 3).
Cylindrical bronchiectasis were recorded in 82 patients.
Mosaic attenuation was depicted in 59 patients (Figure 4).
On expiration,
all 92 patients showed areas of air trapping,
78 of grade 1 extent and 14 of grade 2 (Figure 5).
A significant correlation was depicted between...
Conclusion
A persistence of HRCT findings related to tobacco smoking were recorded in former smokers,
even after 15 years of quitting smoking.
Although changes were overall subtle,
patients with longer duration of smoking history,
showed more severe bronchial wall thickening and more extended areas of air trapping on expiration.
References
1.Donohue KM et al.
Cigarette smoking and airway wall thickness on CT scan in a multi-ethnic cohort: the MESA Lung Study.Respir Med.
2012;106(12):1655-64
2.Marangio E et al.High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) Findings in Smokers and Ex-smokers without Lung Function Limitation,
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Bhalla M,
Turcios N,
Aponte V,
Jenkins M,
Leitman BS,
McCauley DI,
Naidich DP.
Cystic fibrosis: scoring system with thin-section CT.
Radiology 1991; 179: 783-8
Personal Information
Efstathios E.
Detorakis,
MD,
PhD
Consultant radiologist
Affidea Diagnostic Center
45 Eleftherias Sq.
71201
Heraklion Crete,
Greece