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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
Murine Intrapulmonary Tracheal Transplantation: A Model for Investigating Obliterative Airway Disease After Lung Transplantation
Published on: November 10, 2023
Frequency and CT findings of recurrent disease after lung transplantation
J Collins1, M J Hartman, T F Warner
1Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, E3/311 Clinical Science Center, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792-3252, USA. jcollin4@facstaff.wisc.edu
Purpose:
To determine the frequency and computed tomographic (CT) findings of recurrence of the primary disease after lung transplantation at six North American lung transplantation centers.
Materials And Methods:
Medical records of 1,394 lung transplant recipients were reviewed to identify patients with recurrent primary disease. Their CT scans and pathologic specimens were reviewed.
Results:
The frequency of disease recurrence in the six transplantation centers was 1% (15 of 1,394 patients), including six previously reported cases. Sarcoidosis recurred in nine (35%) of 26 transplants and was the most common disease to recur. Three (33%) of nine patients with recurrent sarcoidosis had correlative findings at CT. When present, CT findings were usually different at recurrence compared with pretransplantation CT findings.
Conclusion:
A relatively small percentage of patients are at risk for recurrence of primary disease following lung transplantation. Sarcoidosis is the most common disease to recur.
