Lobar differences on chest CTs of bronchiectasis patients from the EMBARC registry

Abstract

Aims: Little is known about the heterogeneity of structural lung changes within bronchiectasis patients. We aimed to investigate inter lobar differences in bronchial dilatation and wall thickening in bronchiectasis patients from the EMBARC registry. Methods: CTs were analysed with LungQ-BA (Thirona, Nijmegen) which automatically identifies segmental (G0) and distal (G1-29) airway generations. For each bronchus-artery (BA), the following diameters were quantified for G(1-6): bronchial outer edge (Bout), inner edge (Bin), and artery (A), and wall thickness (Bwt). From these dimensions, BA-ratios were computed: Bout/A, Bin/A, Bwt/A, and bronchial wall area/ outer area (Bwa/Boa). The median BA-ratios were calculated for each lobe for each patient. Data are expressed as median (IQR). Results: A total of 609 CT scans were successfully analysed. The Bout/A for each lobe were as follows: LUL 1.30 (1.13–1.51), LLL 1.35 (1.14–1.53), RUL 1.36 (1.17–1.59), RML 1.44 (1.24–1.48), and RLL 1.32 (1.14–1.35). The Bwa/Boa for each lobe were: LUL 0.34 (0.28–0.42), LLL 0.40 (0.32–0.50), RUL 0.35 (0.30–0.44), RML 0.41 (0.33–0.52), and RLL 0.38 (0.31–0.48). Conclusions: Highly variable heterogeneous patterns of bronchial wall thickening and dilatation are observed between lobes, with RML being the most affected. The observed heterogeneity might play a role in the variability of patient response to treatment. erj;66/suppl_69/PA5737/F1 F1 F1

Authors 16

1. Yuxin Chen

   Erasmus MC

   Affiliation as printed

   1Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands

2. Angelina Pieters

   Erasmus MC

   Affiliation as printed

   1Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands

3. Tjeerd van der Veer Aachen

   Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   2Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands

4. Merlijn Bonte

   Erasmus MC

   Affiliation as printed

   1Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands

5. Pierluigi Ciet

   Erasmus MC

   Affiliation as printed

   1Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands

6. Amelia Shoemark

   University of Dundee

   Affiliation as printed

   3University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom

7. Stefano Aliberti

   IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital

   Affiliation as printed

   4IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy

8. Pierre‐Régis Burgel

   Hôpital Cochin · Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris · Université Paris Descartes

   Affiliation as printed

   5Cochin Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris and Université Paris Descartes, Pairs, France

9. Pieter Goeminne
   Affiliation as printed

   6Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium

10. Michal Shteinberg

    Carmel Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    7Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel

11. Michael R. Loebinger

    Royal Brompton Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    8Royal Brompton Hospital, London, United Kingdom

12. Charles Haworth

    Royal Papworth Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    9Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom

13. Andrea Gramegna

    University of Milan

    Affiliation as printed

    10Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy

14. Francesco Blasi

    University of Milan

    Affiliation as printed

    10Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy

15. Daan Caudri

    Erasmus MC

    Affiliation as printed

    1Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands

16. Harm A.M.W. Tiddens

    Erasmus MC

    Affiliation as printed

    1Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands