Automated method of bronchus and artery dimension measurement in an adult bronchiectasis population
Aim Bronchiectasis (BE) is a disease defined by irreversible dilatation of the airway. Computed tomography (CT) plays an important role in the detection and quantification of BE. The aim of this study was three-fold: 1) to assess bronchus–artery (BA) dimensions using fully automated software in a co...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
European Respiratory Society
2024-12-01
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| Series: | ERJ Open Research |
| Online Access: | http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/10/6/00231-2024.full |
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| Summary: | Aim
Bronchiectasis (BE) is a disease defined by irreversible dilatation of the airway. Computed tomography (CT) plays an important role in the detection and quantification of BE. The aim of this study was three-fold: 1) to assess bronchus–artery (BA) dimensions using fully automated software in a cohort of BE disease patients; 2) to compare BA dimensions with semi-quantitative BEST-CT (Bronchiectasis Scoring Technique for CT) scores for BE and bronchial wall thickening; and 3) to explore the structure–function relationship between BA-method lumen dimensions and spirometry outcomes.
Methods
Baseline CTs of BE patients who participated in a clinical trial were collected retrospectively. CTs were analysed manually with the BEST-CT scoring system and automatically using LungQ (v.2.1.0.1, Thirona, The Netherlands), which measures the following BA dimensions: diameters of bronchial outer wall (Bout), bronchial inner wall (Bin) and artery (A), and bronchial wall thickness (Bwt) and computes BA ratios (Bout/A and Bin/A) to assess bronchial widening. To assess bronchial wall thickness, we used the Bwt/A ratio and the ratio between the bronchus wall area (Bwa) and the area defined by the outer airway (Boa) (Bwa/Boa).
Results
In total, 65 patients and 16 900 BA pairs were analysed by the automated BA method. The median (range) percentage of BA pairs defined as widened was 69 (55–84)% per CT using a cut-off value of 1.5 for Bout/A, and 53 (42–65)% of bronchial wall were thickened using a cut-off value of 0.14 for Bwt/A. BA dimensions were correlated with comparable outcomes for the BEST-CT scoring method with a correlation coefficient varying between 0.21 to 0.51. The major CT BA determinants of airflow obstruction were bronchial wall thickness (p=0.001) and a narrower bronchial inner diameter (p=0.003).
Conclusion
The automated BA method, which is an accurate and sensitive tool, demonstrates a stronger correlation between visual and automated assessment and lung function when using a higher cut-off value to define bronchiectasis. |
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| ISSN: | 2312-0541 |