Bronchiolar disease: spectrum and radiological findings

• Published in: European journal of radiology Vol. 35; no. 1; pp. 15 - 29
• Main Authors: Takahashi, Masashi, Murata, Kiyoshi, Takazakura, Ryutaro, Nakahara, Tetsuro, Shimizu, Kentaro, Minese, Mariko, Itoh, Harumi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.07.2000; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Airways; Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic - diagnostic imaging; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchial Diseases - classification; Bronchial Diseases - diagnosis; Bronchial Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Bronchial Diseases - pathology; Bronchiolar disease; Bronchiolitis Obliterans - diagnosis; Diagnosis, Differential; Diagnostic radiography; HRCT; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Lung - diagnostic imaging; Lung - pathology; Lung Diseases, Interstitial - diagnosis; Medical sciences; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma - diagnostic imaging; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Respiratory system; Spectrum analysis; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - diagnostic imaging; Bronchiolar disease; Airways; HRCT; Human; High resolution; Radiodiagnosis; Respiratory disease; Bronchus disease; Medical imagery; Computerized axial tomography; Review; Diagnosis; Bronchiolitis
• ISSN: 0720-048X; 1872-7727
• DOI: 10.1016/S0720-048X(99)00155-2

Two types of bronchiole, the terminal bronchiole and the respiratory bronchiole, have structural and functional differences. The former is characterized as a conducting airway and the latter is closely related to a gas-exchange function as it has numerous alveoli on the wall. Therefore, the diseases occurring at bronchiole demonstrate different pathological, radiological and clinical pictures depending on which bronchiole is mainly involved. The disease that mainly involves the conducting airway is appreciated as a small airway disease. Constrictive bronchiolitis is a well-recognized entity classified in this category. Whereas the disease mainly involves the respiratory bronchiole and distal alveolar space, it is recognized as an interstitial and parenchymal disease. BOOP or RB-ILD is classified in this category. These two types of bronchiolar diseases reveal the contrast clinical pictures, including incidence, causative disease, response to the treatment, prognosis, respiratory function test as well as the radiological findings. This pictorial essay will illustrate the radiological features of the varieties of bronchiolitis.