Abstract
Study objective: To determine whether a correlation exists between pulmonary function and both frontal chest radiographs and high-resolution chest CT findings in patients with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP). Design: Retrospective review of radiographic and clinical data. Setting: Tertiary referral hospital. Patients: Seven patients with PAP were studied on 25 occasions using high-resolution chest CT (n=21), frontal chest radiographs (n=19), and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) (n=25). Measurements and results: Visual estimates of the extent, degree, and overall severity of parenchymal abnormalities were determined for plain radiographs and high-resolution chest CT, and were correlated with PFTs. With high-resolution CT, the extent and severity of ground-glass opacity correlated significantly with the presence of a restrictive ventilatory defect, reduced diffusing capacity, and hypoxemia. Chest radiographic findings also correlated significantly with restrictive ventilatory defect, diffusing capacity, and hypoxemia. Conclusion: In patients with PAP, although high-resolution CT correlates more closely with pulmonary function, plain radiographs should be sufficient for follow-up.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 989-995 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Chest |
Volume | 111 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1997 |
Keywords
- alveolar proteinosis
- computed tomography
- function test
- lungs
- pulmonary
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
- Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine