Generalized bronchial wall thickening can be due to numerous causes, smoking related chronic airway inflammation and asthma being the common ones. Bronchial diverticula are however seen far more frequently seen in smokers and can help identify smoking related airway disease vs other etiologies.

The subcarinal diverticulum, or main bronchial diverticulum, also seen in this case, does not have any specific relationship with smoking.