Bronchiolitis
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Bronchiolitis is a broad term that refers to any form of inflammation of the bronchioles. It is often used in situations where there inflammation primarily occurs in airways smaller than 2 mm 6. It can carry variable clinical, functional and morphological expression. Bronchiolar disease may be a primary or a secondary condition.
According to some authors, there is some overlap with the term small airways disease 5.
Radiographic features
Plain radiograph
Usually not detected at chest radiography but may manifest with nonspecific findings such as ill-defined small or hazy clustered nodules or areas of air trapping characterised by hyperlucency and/or oligemia 6.
CT - HRCT
The presence of bronchiolitis is best assessed with HRCT. CT features include one of a combination of
- centrilobular micronodules (often seen as tree-inbud opacities),
- bronchial wall thickening
- bronchiolar dilatation (often referred to as bronchiolectasis)
- mosaic attenuation (and/or air trapping if expiratory imaging is used)
Classification
One method of classifying various forms of bronchiolitis is as follows 1:
-
inflammatory bronchiolitis
- infective bronchiolitis/infectious bronchiolitis
- bronchiolitis associated with hypersensitivity pneumonitis
- respiratory bronchiolitis/respiratory bronchiolitis interstitial lung disease
- follicular bronchiolitis
- panbronchiolitis
- bronchiolitis with associated bronchiectasis/bronchioloectasis
- fibrotic
Exact radiographic features are best discussed under each sub topic.
Other specific forms according to underlying pathology include:
See also
-<p><strong>Bronchiolitis</strong> is a broad term that refers to any form of inflammation of the <a href="/articles/bronchioles">bronchioles</a>. It is often used in situations where there inflammation primarily occurs in airways smaller than<strong> 2 mm</strong> <sup>6</sup>. It can carry variable clinical, functional and morphological expression. Bronchiolar disease may be a primary or a secondary condition.</p><p>According to some authors, there is some overlap with the term <a href="/articles/small-airways-disease">small airways disease</a> <sup>5</sup>.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>Plain radiograph</h5><p>Usually not detected at chest radiography but may manifest with nonspecific findings such as ill-defined small or hazy clustered nodules or areas of air trapping characterised by hyperlucency and/or oligemia <sup>6</sup>.</p><h5>CT - HRCT</h5><p>The presence of bronchiolitis is best assessed with HRCT. CT features include one of a combination of </p><ul>- +<p><strong>Bronchiolitis</strong> is a broad term that refers to any form of inflammation of the <a href="/articles/bronchioles">bronchioles</a>. It is often used in situations where there inflammation primarily occurs in airways smaller than<strong> 2 mm</strong> <sup>6</sup>. It can carry variable clinical, functional and morphological expression. Bronchiolar disease may be a primary or a secondary condition.</p><p>According to some authors, there is some overlap with the term <a href="/articles/small-airways-disease">small airways disease</a> <sup>5</sup>.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>Plain radiograph</h5><p>Usually not detected at chest radiography but may manifest with nonspecific findings such as ill-defined small or hazy clustered nodules or areas of air trapping characterised by hyperlucency and/or oligemia <sup>6</sup>.</p><h5>CT - HRCT</h5><p>The presence of bronchiolitis is best assessed with HRCT. CT features include one of a combination of</p><ul>
-<a title="centrilobular micronodules" href="/articles/centrilobular-micronodules">centrilobular micronodules</a> (often seen as tree-inbud opacities),</li>-<li><a title="Bronchial wall thickening" href="/articles/bronchial-wall-thickening">bronchial wall thickening</a></li>- +<a href="/articles/centrilobular-micronodules">centrilobular micronodules</a> (often seen as tree-inbud opacities),</li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/bronchial-wall-thickening">bronchial wall thickening</a></li>
-<a title="bronchiolar dilatation" href="/articles/bronchiolar-dilatation">bronchiolar dilatation</a> (often referred to as bronchiolectasis)</li>- +<a title="bronchiolar dilatation" href="/articles/bronchiolar-dilatation">bronchiolar dilatation</a> (often referred to as <a title="Bronchiolectasis" href="/articles/bronchiolectasis-1">bronchiolectasis</a>)</li>
-<a title="Mosaic attenuation pattern in lung" href="/articles/mosaic-attenuation-pattern-in-lung">mosaic attenuation</a> (and/or air trapping if expiratory imaging is used)</li>- +<a href="/articles/mosaic-attenuation-pattern-in-lung">mosaic attenuation</a> (and/or air trapping if expiratory imaging is used)</li>
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