[High-resolution computed tomography (HR-CT) of the lung before transplantation. The value of methods for evaluating...

We examined the lungs of 49 patients with end-stage lung disease non-responding to conventional therapy when referred to lung transplantation by means of high resolution computed tomography (HR-CT). In 24 of these patients lung transplantation has been performed meanwhile. All scans were evaluated separately for both lungs with special regard to presence and extend to the following findings, in order to select the adequate type of transplantation procedure: pleural thickening, bullae and bronchiectasis. In patients with end-stage emphysema the severity of parenchymal damage was recorded additionally. In 20 patients (40.8%) HR-CT results had a major impact on the selection of the surgical procedure. In 16 cases single lung transplantation was recommended because parenchymal changes were either localised unilaterally or a significant difference regarding the severity of emphysematous changes from one side to the other. In 4 cases double lung transplantation was the adequate procedure due to bilateral bronchiectasis or bullae. Based upon these results HR-CT seems indispensable in patients prior to lung transplantation.