A systematic approach to interpretation of heterogeneous lung attenuation on computed tomography of the chest
Computed tomography (CT) chest is widely used as an adjunct to clinical examination and pulmonary function tests in the evaluation of unexplained dyspnoea. In such patients, heterogeneous lung attenuation is a common finding on CT. Heterogeneous lungs can be caused by varying regional aeration, vary...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2013-01-01
|
| Series: | Lung India |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.lungindia.com/article.asp?issn=0970-2113;year=2013;volume=30;issue=4;spage=327;epage=334;aulast=Agrawal |
| _version_ | 1828808250781335552 |
|---|---|
| author | Anjali Agrawal Anurag Agrawal Vishal Bansal Meenakshi Pandit |
| author_facet | Anjali Agrawal Anurag Agrawal Vishal Bansal Meenakshi Pandit |
| author_sort | Anjali Agrawal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Computed tomography (CT) chest is widely used as an adjunct to clinical examination and pulmonary function tests in the evaluation of unexplained dyspnoea. In such patients, heterogeneous lung attenuation is a common finding on CT. Heterogeneous lungs can be caused by varying regional aeration, varying regional perfusion, and ground glass opacities (GGO) representing airspace or interstitial pathology. It does not serve the referring clinicians or the patients well if the radiology report simply mentions the heterogeneity of the lungs without due analysis of the cause of heterogeneity and a meaningful differential diagnosis. Therefore, it is imperative for the radiologist and the treating pulmonologist to have an in-depth understanding of the pathogenesis of pulmonary heterogeneity. This, in conjunction with clinical data, can narrow the differential diagnosis or, at times, lead to specific diagnoses. The purpose of this review is to familiarize readers with the CT representation of heterogeneities in aeration and perfusion of the lung, relate patterns of GGO to underlying pathology, and provide illustrative case studies highlighting the radiological approach to heterogeneous lungs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T08:37:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9e19dca7476c4c078de3d530a0bffc67 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0970-2113 0974-598X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T08:37:43Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Lung India |
| spelling | doaj.art-9e19dca7476c4c078de3d530a0bffc672022-12-22T00:30:52ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsLung India0970-21130974-598X2013-01-0130432733410.4103/0970-2113.120610A systematic approach to interpretation of heterogeneous lung attenuation on computed tomography of the chestAnjali AgrawalAnurag AgrawalVishal BansalMeenakshi PanditComputed tomography (CT) chest is widely used as an adjunct to clinical examination and pulmonary function tests in the evaluation of unexplained dyspnoea. In such patients, heterogeneous lung attenuation is a common finding on CT. Heterogeneous lungs can be caused by varying regional aeration, varying regional perfusion, and ground glass opacities (GGO) representing airspace or interstitial pathology. It does not serve the referring clinicians or the patients well if the radiology report simply mentions the heterogeneity of the lungs without due analysis of the cause of heterogeneity and a meaningful differential diagnosis. Therefore, it is imperative for the radiologist and the treating pulmonologist to have an in-depth understanding of the pathogenesis of pulmonary heterogeneity. This, in conjunction with clinical data, can narrow the differential diagnosis or, at times, lead to specific diagnoses. The purpose of this review is to familiarize readers with the CT representation of heterogeneities in aeration and perfusion of the lung, relate patterns of GGO to underlying pathology, and provide illustrative case studies highlighting the radiological approach to heterogeneous lungs.http://www.lungindia.com/article.asp?issn=0970-2113;year=2013;volume=30;issue=4;spage=327;epage=334;aulast=AgrawalGround glass opacityheterogeneous lungsheterogeneous lung attenuationmosaic attenuationmosaic perfusion |
| spellingShingle | Anjali Agrawal Anurag Agrawal Vishal Bansal Meenakshi Pandit A systematic approach to interpretation of heterogeneous lung attenuation on computed tomography of the chest Lung India Ground glass opacity heterogeneous lungs heterogeneous lung attenuation mosaic attenuation mosaic perfusion |
| title | A systematic approach to interpretation of heterogeneous lung attenuation on computed tomography of the chest |
| title_full | A systematic approach to interpretation of heterogeneous lung attenuation on computed tomography of the chest |
| title_fullStr | A systematic approach to interpretation of heterogeneous lung attenuation on computed tomography of the chest |
| title_full_unstemmed | A systematic approach to interpretation of heterogeneous lung attenuation on computed tomography of the chest |
| title_short | A systematic approach to interpretation of heterogeneous lung attenuation on computed tomography of the chest |
| title_sort | systematic approach to interpretation of heterogeneous lung attenuation on computed tomography of the chest |
| topic | Ground glass opacity heterogeneous lungs heterogeneous lung attenuation mosaic attenuation mosaic perfusion |
| url | http://www.lungindia.com/article.asp?issn=0970-2113;year=2013;volume=30;issue=4;spage=327;epage=334;aulast=Agrawal |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT anjaliagrawal asystematicapproachtointerpretationofheterogeneouslungattenuationoncomputedtomographyofthechest AT anuragagrawal asystematicapproachtointerpretationofheterogeneouslungattenuationoncomputedtomographyofthechest AT vishalbansal asystematicapproachtointerpretationofheterogeneouslungattenuationoncomputedtomographyofthechest AT meenakshipandit asystematicapproachtointerpretationofheterogeneouslungattenuationoncomputedtomographyofthechest AT anjaliagrawal systematicapproachtointerpretationofheterogeneouslungattenuationoncomputedtomographyofthechest AT anuragagrawal systematicapproachtointerpretationofheterogeneouslungattenuationoncomputedtomographyofthechest AT vishalbansal systematicapproachtointerpretationofheterogeneouslungattenuationoncomputedtomographyofthechest AT meenakshipandit systematicapproachtointerpretationofheterogeneouslungattenuationoncomputedtomographyofthechest |