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CT findings of non-neoplastic central airways diseases

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Abstract

Non-neoplastic lesions of central airways are uncommon entities with different etiologies, with either focal or diffuse involvement of the tracheobronchial tree. Clinical symptoms of non-neoplastic tracheobronchial diseases are non-specific, and diagnosis is difficult, especially in the early stages. Three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) is an evaluable tool as it allows to assess and characterize tracheobronchial wall lesions and meanwhile it enables the evaluation of airways surrounding structures. Multiplanar reconstructions (MPR), minimum intensity projections (MinIP), and 3D Volume Rendering (VR) (in particular, virtual bronchoscopy) also provide information on the site and of the length of airway alterations. This review will be discussed about (1) primary airway disorders, such as relapsing polychondritis, tracheobronchophathia osteochondroplastica, and tracheobronchomegaly, (2) airway diseases, related to granulomatosis with polyangiitis, Chron's disease, Behcet's disease, sarcoidosis, amyloidosis, infections, intubation and transplantation, (3) tracheobronchial malacia, and (4) acute tracheobronchial injury. 3D-CT findings, especially with MPR and 3D VR reconstructions, allows us to evaluate tracheobronchial disease morphologically in detail.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Emergency Radiology, Careggi University Hospital, L.go Brambilla 3, 50123, Florence, Italy

    Chiara Moroni, Alessandra Bindi, Edoardo Cavigli, Diletta Cozzi, Silvia Luvarà & Vittorio Miele

  2. SIRM Foundation, Milan, Italy

    Diletta Cozzi

  3. Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Science, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

    Olga Smorchkova & Giulia Zantonelli

  4. Department of Radiology, Santo Stefano Hospital, Prato, Italy

    Maurizio Bartolucci

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  1. Chiara Moroni
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Moroni, C., Bindi, A., Cavigli, E. et al. CT findings of non-neoplastic central airways diseases. Jpn J Radiol 40, 107–119 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-021-01190-w

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