Thoracic computed tomography measures have predictive value in the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is diagnosed with pulmonary function tests (PFTs). However, since not all patients can be diagnosed with PFTs, some are diagnosed with radiological or clinical findings. The purpose of this study was to define the properties of obstructive airway disease through thoracic computed tomography (CT) and to identify the diagnostic efficacy of CT findings. A total of 160 patients who underwent PFT and thoracic CT assessment July 2018 - January 2019, were retrospectively analyzed. Based on PFT findings, patients were categorized into three groups as having normal, restrictive or obstructive airways. Age, height, weight, and body mass indexes of the groups were recorded. Pulmonary height, width, right-left hemi-diaphragm height, sterno-diaphragmatic angle and retrosternal transparent area length in axial sections were also recorded. Diagnostic efficacies of these parameters in the detection of obstructive airway disease were measured. Of the 160 patients (109 males, 51 females; mean age = 59.5), 91 (56.9) had normal PFT, 58 (36.2%) had obstructive and 11 (6.9%) had restrictive airway disease. Pulmonary height, width, sterno-diaphragmatic angle, and retrosternal transparent area length were significantly higher in patients with obstructive airway disease while the right-left hemi-diaphragm height was significantly lower (p<0.001). About 60-75% sensitivity and specificity were obtained when identifying the obstructive airway disease with these parameters. These values obtained from the axial and sagittal sections could contribute to the diagnosis of obstructive airway disease.