CT Quantification of Lungs and Airways in Normal Korean Subjects

• Published in: Korean journal of radiology Vol. 18; no. 4; pp. 739 - 748
• Main Authors: Kim, Song Soo, Jin, Gong Yong, Li, Yuan Zhe, Lee, Jeong Eun, Shin, Hye Soo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Society of Radiology 01.07.2017; 대한영상의학회
• Subjects: Adult; Age; Aged; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Female; Forced Expiratory Volume - physiology; Humans; Kurtosis; Lung - diagnostic imaging; Lungs; Male; Medical imaging; Medical records; Middle Aged; Respiratory Function Tests; Retrospective Studies; Smoking; Software; Spirometry; Thoracic Imaging; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; 방사선과학; United States > US; Germany; Airways; Pulmonary function test; Smokers; Lungs; Normal value; Quantitative computed tomography; Non-smokers
• ISSN: 1229-6929; 2005-8330; 2005-8330
• DOI: 10.3348/kjr.2017.18.4.739

To measure and compare the quantitative parameters of the lungs and airways in Korean never-smokers and current or former smokers ("ever-smokers"). Never-smokers (n = 119) and ever-smokers (n = 45) who had normal spirometry and visually normal chest computed tomography (CT) results were retrospectively enrolled in this study. For quantitative CT analyses, the low attenuation area (LAA) of LAA , LAA , CT attenuation value at the 15th percentile, mean lung attenuation (MLA), bronchial wall thickness of inner perimeter of a 10 mm diameter airway (Pi10), total lung capacity (TLC ), and functional residual capacity (FRC ) were calculated based on inspiratory and expiratory CT images. To compare the results between groups according to age, sex, and smoking history, independent test, one way ANOVA, correlation test, and simple and multiple regression analyses were performed. The values of attenuation parameters and volume on inspiratory and expiratory quantitative computed tomography (QCT) were significantly different between males and females ( < 0.001). The MLA and the 15th percentile value on inspiratory QCT were significantly lower in the ever-smoker group than in the never-smoker group ( < 0.05). On expiratory QCT, all lung attenuation parameters were significantly different according to the age range ( < 0.05). Pi10 in ever-smokers was significantly correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity ( = -0.455, = 0.003). In simple and multivariate regression analyses, TLC , FRC , and age showed significant associations with lung attenuation ( < 0.05), and only TLC was significantly associated with inspiratory Pi10. In Korean subjects with normal spirometry and visually normal chest CT, there may be significant differences in QCT parameters according to sex, age, and smoking history.