Kartagener syndrome

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Kartagener syndrome is a subset of primary ciliary dyskinesia, an autosomal recessive condition characterised by an abnormal ciliary structure and/oror function, leading to impaired mucociliary clearance. 

Epidemiology

The prevalence of primary ciliary dyskinesia is approximately 1 in 12,000-60,000 5. Approximately 50% of patient with primary ciliary dyskinesia have Kartagener syndrome / situs/situs abnormality. No gender predilection is recognised. 

Clinical presentation

Kartagener syndrome is characterised by the clinical triad of 1:

Other features include:

  • telecanthus: widened interpupillary distance by a nasal polyp 
  • infertility in males
  • subfertility in females

Radiographic features

Plain radiograph

Chest radiographic findings depend on the severity of underlying bronchiectasis. Findings may include bronchial wall thickening, bronchial dilatation with the loss of normal peripheral tapering:

  • predilection to involve the right middle, lingular segment of the left upper lobe and the lower lobes
  • mucus plugs maybemay be visible, finger in glove sign
  • consolidation
  • situs abnormality, i.e. situs inversus
CT

CT tends to demonstrate bronchiectasis which may be variable in severity. However, changes are much milder than in cystic fibrosis 4. The morphology of bronchiectasis can be tubular/cylindrical or saccular/cystic.

In addition Also, CT demonstrates:

Differential diagnosis

Situs abnormality with associated lower lobe bronchiectasis should prompt the diagnosis of Kartagener syndrome. However, there is a differential:

History and etymology

Manes Kartagener, was a Zurich pulmonologist who first reported the clinical triad  ofof sinusitis, bronchiectasis, and situs inversus in 1933 3. It was not until the 1970s, Bjorn Afzelius, an ultrastructuralist, noted the associated infertility in malemales. Afzelius noted the diversity of structural defects which can affect the dynein arms and/or radial spokes of the sperm tail 3.Further work was undertaken by Jennifer Sturgess, an ultrastructuralist from Toronto who identified the radial spoke defect as a common feature of Kartageners syndrome and immotile cilia syndrome. She also contributed to research in cystic fibrosis which shares clinical similarity to primary ciliary dyskinesia.   

See also

  • -<p><strong>Kartagener syndrome</strong> is a subset of <a href="/articles/primary-ciliary-dyskinesia">primary ciliary dyskinesia</a>, an autosomal recessive condition characterised by abnormal ciliary structure and/or function, leading to impaired mucociliary clearance. </p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>The prevalence of primary ciliary dyskinesia is approximately 1 in 12,000-60,000 <sup>5</sup>. Approximately 50% of patient with primary ciliary dyskinesia have Kartagener syndrome / situs abnormality. No gender predilection is recognised. </p><h4>Clinical presentation</h4><p>Kartagener syndrome is characterised by the clinical triad of <sup>1</sup>:</p><ul>
  • -<li>
  • -<a href="/articles/situs-inversus">situs inversus</a><a href="/articles/situs-inversus-"> </a>
  • -</li>
  • +<p><strong>Kartagener syndrome</strong> is a subset of <a href="/articles/primary-ciliary-dyskinesia">primary ciliary dyskinesia</a>, an autosomal recessive condition characterised by an abnormal ciliary structure or function, leading to impaired mucociliary clearance. </p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>The prevalence of primary ciliary dyskinesia is approximately 1 in 12,000-60,000 <sup>5</sup>. Approximately 50% of patient with primary ciliary dyskinesia have Kartagener syndrome/situs abnormality. No gender predilection is recognised. </p><h4>Clinical presentation</h4><p>Kartagener syndrome is characterised by the clinical triad of <sup>1</sup>:</p><ul>
  • +<li><a href="/articles/situs-inversus">situs inversus</a></li>
  • -</ul><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>Plain radiograph</h5><p>Chest radiographic findings depend on the severity of underlying bronchiectasis. Findings may include bronchial wall thickening, bronchial dilatation with loss of normal peripheral tapering:</p><ul>
  • +</ul><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>Plain radiograph</h5><p>Chest radiographic findings depend on the severity of underlying <a title="Bronchiectasis" href="/articles/bronchiectasis">bronchiectasis</a>. Findings may include bronchial wall thickening, bronchial dilatation with the loss of normal peripheral tapering:</p><ul>
  • -<li>mucus plugs maybe visible, <a href="/articles/finger-in-glove-sign">finger in glove sign</a>
  • +<li>mucus plugs may be visible, <a href="/articles/finger-in-glove-sign-lung">finger in glove sign</a>
  • -</ul><h5>CT</h5><p>CT tends to demonstrate bronchiectasis which may be variable in severity. However, changes are much milder than in <a href="/articles/cystic-fibrosis">cystic fibrosis</a> <sup>4</sup>. The morphology of bronchiectasis can be tubular/cylindrical or saccular/cystic.</p><p>In addition, CT demonstrates:</p><ul>
  • +</ul><h5>CT</h5><p>CT tends to demonstrate bronchiectasis which may be variable in severity. However, changes are much milder than in <a href="/articles/cystic-fibrosis">cystic fibrosis</a> <sup>4</sup>. The morphology of bronchiectasis can be tubular/cylindrical or saccular/cystic. Also, CT demonstrates:</p><ul>
  • -<a href="/articles/mucocoele">mucocele</a>, impacted mucus in bronchioles</li>
  • -<li>
  • -<a href="/articles/tree-in-bud-sign-3">tree-in-bud pattern</a> or <a href="/articles/centrilobular-lung-nodules-1">centrilobular nodules</a> maybe encountered with mucus impaction and endobronchial spread of infection</li>
  • +<a href="/articles/mucocoele">mucocoele</a>, impacted mucus in bronchioles</li>
  • -<a href="/articles/mosaic-attenuation-pattern-in-lung">mosaic perfusion</a> / <a href="/articles/air-trapping">air trapping</a> as ancillary findings</li>
  • +<a href="/articles/tree-in-bud-sign-lung">tree-in-bud pattern</a> or <a href="/articles/centrilobular-lung-nodules-1">centrilobular nodules</a> may be encountered with mucus impaction and endobronchial spread of infection</li>
  • +<li>mosaic perfusion/<a title="Air trapping" href="/articles/air-trapping">air</a><a href="/articles/air-trapping"> trapping</a> as ancillary findings</li>
  • -</ul><h4>History and etymology</h4><p><strong>Manes Kartagener</strong>, a Zurich pulmonologist who first reported the clinical triad  of sinusitis, bronchiectasis, and situs inversus in 1933 <sup>3</sup>. It was not until 1970s, Bjorn Afzelius, an ultrastructuralist, noted the associated infertility in male. Afzelius noted the diversity of structural defects which can affect the dynein arms and/or radial spokes of the sperm tail <sup>3</sup>.<sup> </sup>Further work was undertaken by Jennifer Sturgess, an ultrastructuralist from Toronto who identified the radial spoke defect as a common feature of Kartageners syndrome and immotile cilia syndrome. She also contributed to research in cystic fibrosis which shares clinical similarity to primary ciliary dyskinesia.   </p><h4>See also</h4><ul>
  • +</ul><h4>History and etymology</h4><p><strong>Manes Kartagener</strong> was a Zurich pulmonologist who first reported the clinical triad of sinusitis, bronchiectasis, and situs inversus in 1933 <sup>3</sup>. It was not until the 1970s, Bjorn Afzelius, an ultrastructuralist, noted the associated infertility in males. Afzelius noted the diversity of structural defects which can affect the dynein arms and/or radial spokes of the sperm tail <sup>3</sup>.<sup> </sup>Further work was undertaken by Jennifer Sturgess, an ultrastructuralist from Toronto who identified the radial spoke defect as a common feature of Kartageners syndrome and immotile cilia syndrome. She also contributed to research in cystic fibrosis which shares clinical similarity to primary ciliary dyskinesia.   </p><h4>See also</h4><ul>

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