Tridimensional photographic reconstruction in a study of the pathogenesis of honeycomb lung

A comparative study of honeycombing on high resolution computed tomography with histologic lung remodeling in explants with usual interstitial pneumonia

“…The centrilobular structures are bronchioles and pulmonary arterioles. In an anatomic three-dimensional study of a heterogeneous group of diseases that resulted in cystic remodeling, the incipient phase of honeycomb was interpreted as bronchiolectasis involving the whole lobule [26]. Whether the remodeled lobular structures described in the current study represented enlarged secondary lobules is unclear, but their well-demarcated borders surrounded by septal connective tissue suggest that they are.…”

Interobserver Variability in the CT Assessment of Honeycombing in the Lungs

“…The definition of honeycombing remains somewhat controversial (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20). Pathologically, honeycombing represents destroyed and fibrotic lung tissue that contains numerous cystic airspaces with thick fibrous walls (15,(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25). Additionally, honeycombing at pathologic examination is characterized by cysts usually smaller than 1 mm in diameter, often below the resolving power of CT, and therefore not necessarily concordant with macroscopic honeycombing seen on CT images.…”

Honeycomb Lung: History and Current Concepts

“…The size of the honeycomb cyst usually increases during follow-up [33]. In two autopsy series of patients with honeycombing of UIP, stenosis or abrupt angulations of bronchiole and slitlike structures between the cysts and bronchioles were found, which were regarded as the causes of progressive enlargement of honeycomb cysts [12,33] (Fig. 4).…”

“…In another study, honeycomb lung in scleroderma, dermatomyositis, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, tuberculosis, lipoid pneumonia, sarcoidosis, and IPF was studied by continuous sections of three resected lungs and eight autopsy lungs, which were displayed in three dimensions through photographic reconstruction [12]. The authors found that the pathologic process in the honeycomb area was independent of the original disease and was fundamentally diffuse saccular or cystic bronchiolectasis involving the whole lobule, especially the terminal and respiratory bronchioles.…”