Imaging of Airway Diseases

Abstract

This chapter discusses the medical imaging appearance of common airway diseases. Brief definitions of diseases are provided along with short summaries of normal and abnormal radiological findings. The review focuses on plain radiograph and computed tomography (CT) techniques and does not discuss nuclear scintigraphy, magnetic resonance, or ultrasound techniques. The review tries to emphasize the latest clinical research findings. Diseases of the trachea are discussed first, with emphasis on tracheal stenosis, common tracheal tumors, and tracheomegaly. Asthma, chronic bronchitis, and bronchiectasis are discussed next, with an emphasis on recent computed tomographic research findings in these diseases. The next section discusses bronchiolitis with descriptions of both constrictive bronchiolitis and cryptogenic organizing pneumonia. The final section discusses emphysema, and the ability of CT to detect and assess the extent of the particular types of emphysema. A brief discussion of the potential to misdiagnose mitral stenosis as asthma, and cystic lung disease as emphysema is also included.

Key Words:

airway disease - x-ray computed tomography - radiology