Computed tomography of the lung in Wegener's granulomatosis

Computed tomography of the thorax was performed in 30 patients with Wegener's granulomatosis to define the anatomical basis of pulmonary involvement. A wide variety of parenchymal and bronchial abnormalities was demonstrated in addition to the cavitary nodules commonly described. The high incidence (40%) of bronchial abnormalities in these patients may suggest that bronchocentric injury is more important in the pathogenesis of lung involvement in this disease than has previously been considered. Serial scans in individual patients showed broad correlation between the extent of the pulmonary abnormalities and the clinical and immunological markers of disease activity.