Quantitation Of Small Airway Wall Thickness In Acute Exacerbations Of Chronic Obstreutive Pulmonary Disease By CT

To explore areas and diameter lines by CT at the segmental and the sub-segmental bronchi of the cute exacerbation chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD) and remission stage patients, two phases of COPD comprehensive assessment on the value of diagnosis of COPD exacerbations, and their correlation.Fifty-two cases of AECOPD patients diagnosed by clinical assessment and pulmonory function test(PFT), performed with 64 row spiral CT scan sat chest.Choose the right time after treatment in catabatic period(after treatment in 2-4weeks),the patients were performed by 64 row spiral CT and PFT again. Multi-planer reformation techniques were used to obtain the perpendieular airway images of apical segmental and the sub-segmental bronchi of the right upper lobe with the patients of the two stages. Measurement of total airway diameter(D), lumen diameter(L)and airway wall area(WA), then calculated the airway wall thickness(WT), to airway diameter ratio(TDR)and the percentage of airway area(WA%)to total airway cross sectional area. Analyse the data, and performed correlation analys is with the factors of comprehensive assessment of health status(including FEV1%, FEV1/FVC, CAT, mMRC, 6MWD). There were statistically s ignificant differences between AECOPD group and remission period group at the COPD comprehensive assessment((t=-4.119,-2.583,4.012,3.321,-3.892,P<0.05). The data of AECOPD group were higher than that of remission group at sub-segmental bronchi((t=3.025,2.341,2.204,2.124,P < 0.05); There was significant difference at segmental bronchi only TDR(t=2.990,P<0.05). The changes of segmental and the sub-segmental bronchi data between AECOPD and remission stage of COPD correlated with COPD comprehensive assessment showed that :The differences between the two groups in sub-segmental bronchi was more significantly than segmental bronchi. In conclusion, Comprehensive assessment can help to diagnose AECOPD; MSCT could show segmental and sub-segmental bronchi remodeling and the change of airway wall, is helpful in the diagnosis of COPD. The correlation between sub-segmental bronchi and airflow is more s ignificant than segmental bronchi. The correlation between small airway and general symptoms is more significant. Comprehens ive assessment of health shows more meaning than PFT in the estimation of AECOPD.