Forty-four patients with histologically confirmed sarcoidosis were prospectively studied with high-resolution computed tomography (CT). Nodules were seen in all cases. They were isolated in 19 cases and associated with other lesions in 25 cases. Other abnormalities were irregular interfaces (n = 18, 41%), linear network (n = 14, 32%), thickening of the pleural surface (n = 9, 20%), ground-glass opacities (n = 7, 16%), lung distortion (n = 11, 25%), traction bronchiectasis (n = 3, 7%), and network of air-filled cavities (n = 3, 7%). Predominant sites of lesions were the upper and middle zones (n = 30, 68%) and posterior zones (n = 13, 30%). Nodular abnormalities were noted at CT in six cases in which the pulmonary parenchyma appeared normal on radiographs. Lung distortion was noted at CT in eight cases without visible fibrosis on chest radiographs. The majority of patients with lung distortion (nine of 11, 82%) had disease of greater than a years duration. CT improved sensitivity for the detection of all types of lesions, mainly lung distortion. Low but significant correlations were found between visual score at CT and total lung capacity, vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, and diffusing capacity.

No abstract

Eighteen patients with pulmonary lesions of histiocytosis X were studied with high-resolution computed tomography (CT). Thin-walled cysts were found in all but one patient. The other abnormalities included nodules (n = 14), cavitated nodules (n = 3), thick-walled cysts (n = 7), reticulation (n = 4), ground-glass opacities (n = 4), and irregular interfaces (n = 4). The lesions were most often diffuse (n = 16), with a topographic predominance in the upper or middle lung zones in nine patients. Comparison of CT scans and chest radiographs shows that small and large cysts and micronodules are better detected with CT. Comparison of abnormalities found in patients in the early and late stages of the disease, as well as the evolution observed in one case, suggests that CT patterns progress from nodules to cavitated nodules and thick-walled cysts to cysts to confluent cysts.

No abstract