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Radiological Evaluation of Lower Airway Dimensions Deciding Ventilatory Dynamics: Can Radiologically Determined, Static Airway Structures Precisely Predict Ventilatory Dysfunction?

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Structure-Function Relationships in Various Respiratory Systems

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Abstract

Airway narrowing causes airflow limitation because of the increase in airway resistance during expiration. Radiological evaluation of airway narrowing during breath-hold has been widely performed for various respiratory diseases. In particular, bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are major respiratory diseases that present with airflow limitations. Quantitative assessment using computed tomography (CT) images is key to evaluating airway lesions and airway narrowing in both clinical and research fields.

On CT images, airway wall thickening, and airway narrowing are evaluated with designated software; however, there are serious concerns about and limitations to the resolution of CT images. Ultra-high resolution CT (U-HRCT) is a promising variation of CT that could produce new findings to help deepen our understanding of respiratory diseases.

Moreover, for acquiring precise and meaningful measurements of airway dimensions in vivo, various new parameters, such as airway tree shape irregularity, airway visibility, and airway volume to lung volume ratio, have been proposed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan

    Susumu Sato & Toyohiro Hirai

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  1. Susumu Sato
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  2. Toyohiro Hirai
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Correspondence to Susumu Sato .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tokyo Medical University, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Tohto Clinic, Kenko-Igaku Association, Tokyo, Japan

    Kazuhiro Yamaguchi

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Sato, S., Hirai, T. (2020). Radiological Evaluation of Lower Airway Dimensions Deciding Ventilatory Dynamics: Can Radiologically Determined, Static Airway Structures Precisely Predict Ventilatory Dysfunction?. In: Yamaguchi, K. (eds) Structure-Function Relationships in Various Respiratory Systems. Respiratory Disease Series: Diagnostic Tools and Disease Managements. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-5596-1_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-5596-1_7

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  • Print ISBN: 978-981-15-5595-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-15-5596-1

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