Varicose bronchiectasis
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Weerakkody Y, Knipe H, Sharma R, et al. Varicose bronchiectasis. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 23 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-25717
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rID:
25717
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Yuranga Weerakkody had no recorded disclosures.
View Yuranga Weerakkody's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
Revisions:
6 times, by
5 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Synonyms:
- Varicose type bronchiectasis
- Varicoid type bronchiectasis
- String of pearl sign (bronchiectasis)
- String of pearl sign (chest)
- String of pearl sign (varicose bronchiectasis)
Varicose bronchiectasis refers to an uncommon morphological subtype of bronchiectasis. According to one study, this type as a pure form accounted for ~10% of all bronchiectasis 1.
For a general discussion, please refer to the article on bronchiectasis.
Radiographic features
There are intermittent narrowed and dilated segment to the affected bronchus when viewed in long axis and can give a string of pearls sign 2 reflecting the irregularly beaded appearance.
References
- 1. Habesoglu MA, Ugurlu AO, Eyuboglu FO. Clinical, radiologic, and functional evaluation of 304 patients with bronchiectasis. Ann Thorac Med. 2011;6 (3): 131-6. doi:10.4103/1817-1737.82443 - Free text at pubmed - Pubmed citation
- 2. Cantin L, Bankier AA, Eisenberg RL. Bronchiectasis. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2009;193 (3): W158-71. AJR Am J Roentgenol (full text) - doi:10.2214/AJR.09.3053 - Pubmed citation
- 3. Ouellette H. The signet ring sign. Radiology. 1999;212 (1): 67-8. doi:10.1148/radiology.212.1.r99jl2067 - Pubmed citation
- 4. Neves PC, Guerra M, Ponce P et-al. Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2011;13 (6): 619-25. doi:10.1510/icvts.2011.284208 - Pubmed citation
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