Chronic Complications of Inhalation Injury: Chest HRCT Findings and a Correlation with the Pulmonary Function Test in Reactive Airway Dysfunction Syndrome

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the HRCT findings and to correlate the findings with the results of a pulmonary function test (PFT) in patients with reactive airway dysfunction syndrome (RADS). Materials and Methods: On March 2003, a fire at a boarding house of primary school soccer players caused a multiple casualty disaster. After 8 months, nine boys that presented with chronic cough and dyspnea were treated, and were subjected to follow-up evaluations. Eight patients underwent a chest radiograph, HRCT, and a PFT. Two patients with severe symptoms received extended follow-up after 1 year. Two radiologists retrospectively reviewed the chest radiographs and the follow-up HRCT scans. We correlated the HRCT findings with the results of the PFT. Results: Six patients with an inhalation injury were diagnosed with RADS. On the chest radiographs, eight patients showed no abnormal findings. On an HRCT scan, four patients showed abnormal findings. The abnormal findings were mosaic air trapping (n = 4), bronchial wall thickening (n = 1), and parenchymal consolidation (n = 1). In all four patients that showed abnormal findings in the HRCT scan, abnormal results of the PFT were also seen. The two patients that received extended follow-up showed an improvement of the clinical symptoms, as seen by the PFT, and had a decreased extent and degree of mosaic air trapping, as seen on HRCT. Conclusion: An HRCT scan is an essential modality for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with RADS. Both a full expiratory and inspiratory HRCT scan must be performed for an accurate diagnosis.