[Evaluation of pulmonary emphysema with high resolution computed tomography and the effect of smoking]

Cigarette smoking is thought to play an important part in the development of pulmonary emphysema. The authors previously reported on the correlation of high resolution computed tomography (CT) with the pathology grade of emphysema and the destructive index of lung specimens from 42 patients undergoing thoracotomy for a solitary pulmonary nodule. High resolution CT was effective to identify the presence and grade of mild emphysema. The mean per cent predicted FEV1 was 97 per cent. There were 28 smokers and 14 nonsmokers. In this report, the correlation of smoking history with pathology score and high resolution CT was analyzed. There was significant correlation among these indices. These results further support the relationship between smoking and pulmonary emphysema. High resolution CT scan may help in the understanding of the role of cigarette smoking in the development of early pulmonary emphysema.