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The reproducibility of bronchial circumference measurements using computed tomography
S R Desai1, A U Wells, F K Cheah
1Department of Radiology, Royal Brompton National Heart and Lung Hospital, London, UK.
The British Journal of Radiology
|March 1, 1994
Summary
Computed tomography (CT) measurements of bronchial wall circumference in bronchiectasis show good reproducibility. These findings suggest CT is a valuable tool for tracking disease progression in patients with this condition.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Bronchiectasis necessitates objective measures to track disease progression.
- Computed tomography (CT) is a key imaging modality for evaluating lung diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the variability of CT measurements of bronchial wall circumference in bronchiectasis.
- To evaluate the reproducibility of these measurements within and between observers, and across repeated scans.
Main Methods:
- Twelve patients with bronchiectasis underwent CT scans.
- Sixty-one subsegmental bronchi circumferences were measured twice by three observers using CT console tracing.
- Five patients were rescanned to assess measurement reproducibility over time.
Main Results:
- Mean bronchial circumference was 16.1 ± 8.3 mm.
- Intraobserver variability (standard deviation) ranged from 0.40 mm to 0.67 mm.
- Interobserver variability was 0.71 mm, and rescanning reproducibility ranged from 1.40 mm to 1.82 mm (7.6%–9.9% coefficient of variation).
Conclusions:
- Reproducibility of bronchial wall circumference measurements by CT is adequate for clinical use.
- CT measurements can reliably monitor the progression of bronchiectasis.