AJR 2005; 185:354-363
© American Roentgen Ray Society
Radiologic and Pathologic Features of Bronchiolitis
Sudhakar J. Pipavath1,2,
David A. Lynch3,
Carlyne Cool3,
Kevin K. Brown4 and
John D. Newell4
1 Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
2 Present address: Teleradiology Solutions, Bangalore, KA, India.
3 Department of Radiology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 E
Ninth Ave., Box A030, Denver, CO 80262.
4 National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver, CO.
Received September 10, 2004;
accepted after revision December 17, 2004.
Address correspondence to D. A. Lynch
(david.lynch{at}uchsc.edu).
Abstract
OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to describe and illustrate
the clinical, pathologic, and imaging features of the inflammatory and
fibrotic forms of bronchiolitis. The CT features presented in this article
represent the typical features associated with each entity.
CONCLUSION. Direct signs of bronchiolitis include centrilobular
nodules and tree-in-bud pattern. Indirect signs include mosaic attenuation and
air trapping. Although classic examples of each entity exist, there can be
substantial overlap in the appearances, and distinguishing among these
entities is not always possible. When high-resolution CT features overlap,
clinical details will usually help to narrow the differential diagnosis.
Understanding the imaging features of small airways diseases requires an
appreciation of the histopathologic findings of these disorders. The purpose
of this article is to describe and illustrate the clinical, pathologic, and
imaging features of inflammatory and fibrotic forms of bronchiolitis
(Table 1).
CT Signs of Small Airways Disease
Direct Signs
Bronchioles are usually not directly visible on CT. However, when there is
increased soft tissue in or around the bronchioles, they can become visible at
the center of the secondary pulmonary lobule
[1]. Thickening of the
bronchiolar wall by inflammatory cells results in centrilobular nodules and V-
or Y-shaped branching linear opacities that represent the tree-in-bud pattern
[2]
(Fig. 1). Inflammatory cellular
infiltration in the peribronchiolar alveoli, typically seen in respiratory
bronchiolitis or hypersensitivity pneumonitis, results in poorly defined
centrilobular nodules that often have an attenuation less than that of soft
tissue (Fig. 2).

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Fig. 1 35-year-old man with cellular bronchiolitis secondary to
Mycoplasma infection. High-resolution CT image through left mid lung
shows multiple poorly defined centrilobular nodules, many of which connect to
branching linear structures (arrows), tree-in-bud pattern.
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Fig. 2 57-year-old cigarette smoker with respiratory bronchiolitis.
High-resolution CT image shows diffuse fine poorly defined centrilobular
nodules (arrows) with more patchy ground-glass opacity
posteriorly.
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Bronchiolectasis is a less common direct sign of bronchiolitis and is found
most commonly in chronic forms of bronchiolitis. The dilated bronchioles are
identifiable close to the pleural surface
(Fig. 3).

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Fig. 3 50-year-old American woman of Asian origin with
panbronchiolitis. High-resolution CT image of chest shows centrilobular
nodules with tree-in-bud pattern (arrowheads), bronchiolectasis
(arrow), and cylindric bronchiectasis.
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Indirect Signs
Air trapping is an indirect sign of obstructive small airways disease and
may be identified by the presence of mosaic attenuation on inspiratory CT that
is accentuated with expiratory imaging (Fig.
4A,
4B). Air trapping is easily
detected when focal because it produces mosaic attenuation, but it may be
difficult to detect when it is diffuse. Because air trapping often becomes
apparent only on expiratory imaging, this technique is an essential part of
the CT evaluation for bronchiolitis
[3]. In patients with
bronchiolitis obliterans, the extent of air trapping on expiratory CT provides
the best correlation with indexes of physiologic impairment
[4].

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Fig. 4A 30-year-old man with postinfectious constrictive
bronchiolitis and history of Mycoplasma pneumonia. High-resolution CT
image of chest shows multiple patchy areas of low attenuation in both lungs.
Also note mild bronchial wall thickening and cylindric bronchiectasis.
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Fig. 4B 30-year-old man with postinfectious constrictive
bronchiolitis and history of Mycoplasma pneumonia. Expiratory
high-resolution CT image shows accentuation of areas of decreased attenuation,
confirming presence of air trapping.
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Interpretation of expiratory CT is complicated by the knowledge that the
prevalence of air trapping in healthy individuals is substantial. In a study
by Mastora et al. [5], isolated
lobules of air trapping were found in 31 (53%) of 59 nonsmoking healthy
subjects, whereas larger (segmental or lobar) areas of air trapping were found
in five (8%). A more recent study by Tanaka et al.
[6] indicates that extensive
air trapping may be found in a minority of healthy subjects. These articles
suggest that the CT finding of air trapping may sometimes be normal and should
be ignored in the absence of physiologic evidence of airway obstruction.
Inflammatory Bronchiolitis
Infectious Bronchiolitis
Infectious bronchiolitis is characterized histologically by a pattern of
acute bronchiolar injury, with epithelial necrosis and inflammation of the
bronchiolar walls and intraluminal exudates
[1]
(Fig. 5). Lymphoplasmacytic
bronchiolar wall infiltrates with neutrophil-rich intraluminal exudates are
seen. Edema and fibrosis also may be present in the bronchiolar walls.
Extensive injury to the respiratory mucosa, causing loss of cilia and ciliated
cells, can be observed in the ultrastructure.

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Fig. 5 Photomicrograph of lung specimen in patient with
bronchiolitis shows histopathologic features of cellular bronchiolitis. Note
partial bronchiolar wall destruction with infiltration of neutrophils
(arrow). (H and E, x 200)
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Acute infections caused by viruses or Mycoplasma organisms are
associated with this type of bronchiolitis. In children, infectious
bronchiolitis is clinically more severe than in adults; most cases are
secondary to viral infection, most commonly a respiratory syncytial virus
[7]. In adults, cellular
bronchiolitis is less common and may be secondary to either a viral or a
bacterial infection
[811]
(Fig. 1). More chronic
infections, particularly tuberculosis
[12] and atypical
mycobacterial infection [13],
also show evidence of cellular bronchiolitis (Fig.
6A,
6B). In the immunocompromised
patient, infection with Aspergillus fumigatus may produce this
appearance.

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Fig. 6A 62-year-old woman with Mycobacterium
avium-intercellulare infection and cellular bronchiolitis pattern. CT
images show tree-in-bud pattern (arrow, A;
arrowheads, B) consistent with cellular bronchiolitis.
Associated bronchiectasis and collapse of right middle lobe and lingula are
important clues to diagnosis of atypical mycobacterial infection.
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Fig. 6B 62-year-old woman with Mycobacterium
avium-intercellulare infection and cellular bronchiolitis pattern. CT
images show tree-in-bud pattern (arrow, A;
arrowheads, B) consistent with cellular bronchiolitis.
Associated bronchiectasis and collapse of right middle lobe and lingula are
important clues to diagnosis of atypical mycobacterial infection.
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On high-resolution CT of the chest in patients with infectious cellular
bronchiolitis, the intense bronchiolar mural inflammation of cellular
bronchiolitis results in centrilobular nodules that are usually associated
with the tree-in-bud pattern (Fig.
1). Consolidation or ground-glass attenuation may also be present
[9].
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
Although cellular bronchiolitis is a common manifestation of
hypersensitivity pneumonitis
[1]
(Fig. 7), the centrilobular
nodules of hypersensitivity pneumonitis differ from those of infectious
cellular bronchiolitis in that they are usually diffuse, poorly defined, and
of ground-glass attenuation rather than soft-tissue attenuation (Fig.
8A,
8B). The tree-in-bud pattern
is uncommon, but areas of mosaic attenuation due to air trapping are frequent
[14,
15].

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Fig. 8A 55-year-old man with cellular bronchiolitis secondary to
subacute hypersensitivity pneumonitis. High-resolution CT images through right
mid lung show diffuse ill-defined centrilobular nodules with patchy areas of
low attenuation (arrows, A), probably representing air
trapping.
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Fig. 8B 55-year-old man with cellular bronchiolitis secondary to
subacute hypersensitivity pneumonitis. High-resolution CT images through right
mid lung show diffuse ill-defined centrilobular nodules with patchy areas of
low attenuation (arrows, A), probably representing air
trapping.
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Respiratory Bronchiolitis and Respiratory BronchiolitisAssociated Interstitial Lung Disease
Respiratory bronchiolitis and respiratory bronchiolitisassociated
interstitial lung disease are characterized by occurrence in patients who
smoke and, more rarely, in those with collagen vascular diseases and mineral
dustinduced diseases. On histology, submucosal inflammation and
fibrosis of the respiratory bronchioles consisting of fibrotic mural
thickening and mononuclear cell infiltration are noted. Pigmented macrophages
are present in the bronchiolar lumen; alveolar ducts; and, to a lesser extent,
the alveolar spaces (Fig.
9).
On high-resolution CT of patients with respiratory bronchiolitis,
ill-defined centrilobular nodules, similar to those seen in hypersensitivity
pneumonitis, are seen (Fig. 2).
Small patches of ground-glass opacity may also be present. These abnormalities
may predominate in the upper lobes.
Although most patients with respiratory bronchiolitis are asymptomatic,
some may have an extensive enough abnormality to cause severe symptoms and
impairment of lung function and gas exchange: These cases are diagnosed as
respiratory bronchiolitisassociated interstitial lung disease. In these
individuals, patchy areas of ground-glass opacity and air trapping are usually
present (Fig. 10). Although
respiratory bronchiolitis and respiratory bronchiolitisassociated
interstitial lung disease share some histologic features, respiratory
bronchiolitisassociated interstitial lung disease is classified as an
idiopathic interstitial pneumonia.

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Fig. 10 40-year-old female cigarette smoker with respiratory
bronchiolitisassociated interstitial lung disease. High-resolution CT
image through right mid lung shows patchy ground-glass opacity with
centrilobular nodules (arrow).
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If a patient with respiratory bronchiolitisassociated interstitial
lung disease stops smoking, lung abnormalities may stop progressing or may
begin to regress [16]. If
patients continue to smoke, emphysema may develop in the areas of respiratory
bronchiolitis [17].
The imaging differential diagnosis of respiratory bronchiolitis and
respiratory bronchiolitisassociated interstitial lung disease includes
desquamative interstitial pneumonia, nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, and
hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Respiratory bronchiolitisassociated
interstitial lung disease differs from desquamative interstitial pneumonia in
that the ground-glass opacity of respiratory bronchiolitisassociated
interstitial lung disease is patchier and poorly defined. Centrilobular
nodules are less common in desquamative interstitial pneumonia. There is
probably a continuum of smoking-related lung diseases from respiratory
bronchiolitis to respiratory bronchiolitisassociated interstitial lung
disease to desquamative interstitial pneumonia
[18]. Nonspecific interstitial
pneumonia differs from respiratory bronchiolitisassociated interstitial
lung disease in that the ground-glass opacity is usually more diffuse and is
commonly associated with a reticular abnormality. Similarly, the centrilobular
nodules and ground-glass opacity found in patients with hypersensitivity
pneumonitis are usually more diffuse than those seen in cases of respiratory
bronchiolitis. In addition, most patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis
are nonsmokers.
Follicular Bronchiolitis
Follicular bronchiolitis is characterized by lymphoid hyperplasia of
bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT). On histology, it is characterized
by the presence of hyperplastic lymphoid follicles with reactive germinal
centers distributed along the bronchioles and, to a lesser extent, the bronchi
(Fig. 11). The lymphocytes are
polyclonal on immunohistochemistry. The differential diagnosis on histology
includes BALTassociated lymphoma and lymphocytic interstitial
pneumonitis. Lymphoma is differentiated by the presence of lymphoepithelial
lesions and monoclonality of lymphocytes. Lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis
is differentiated by its diffuse involvement of the interstitium. Most cases
of follicular bronchiolitis are associated with collagen vascular diseases,
particularly rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren's syndrome. Other
associations, such as immunodeficiency or hypersensitivity reaction, are less
frequent.
On high-resolution CT of the chest in patients with follicular
bronchiolitis, centrilobular and peribronchial nodules are characteristically
present, with most being around 3 mm in size, but ranging from 1 to 12 mm
[19]. Tree-in-bud pattern may
be present (Fig. 12). Areas of
ground-glass opacity and rarely bronchial dilatation and interlobular septal
thickening may also be seen. In contrast to its appearance in cases of
follicular bronchiolitis, ground-glass opacity is the predominant feature of
lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis. Thin-walled cysts
(Fig. 12) may be seen either
in lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis or in follicular bronchiolitis and are
thought to be due to check-valve obstruction of small bronchioles by lymphatic
tissue [20].

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Fig. 12 37-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis and follicular
bronchiolitis. High-resolution CT image shows tree-in-bud pattern
(arrowhead) with a few larger nodules and occasional discrete small
thin-walled cysts (arrow).
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Fig. 14 Patient with bronchiolitis obliterans. Photomicrograph of
lung specimen shows abundant yellow-staining fibrous tissue within elastic
lamina of bronchiole, partially obliterating bronchiolar lumen. (pentachrome,
x 200)
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As with respiratory bronchiolitis, there is probably a continuum of
abnormality ranging from the peribronchiolar pattern of follicular
bronchiolitis and the more diffuse pattern of lymphoid interstitial pneumonia.
Follicular bronchiolitis may share the imaging features of other causes of
bronchiolitis, but the presence of an underlying condition such as
Sjögren's syndrome or immunodeficiency should lead to a suspicion of this
diagnosis.
Diffuse Panbronchiolitis
Diffuse panbronchiolitis
[21] is a unique entity of
unknown cause that is seen mainly in Asia, especially Japan and Korea. Some
cases have been reported in white patients
[22], and the condition may be
underdiagnosed in the United States. It typically affects middle-aged men and
has no relationship to smoking. It has been associated with the human
leukocyte antigengenotype Bw54 in more than 60% of the cases.
Progressive cough, dyspnea, and severe pansinusitis (30%) are seen. Long-term
low-dose erythromycin is the recommended treatment with initial responses in
85% of patients, although the long-term prognosis is variable.

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Fig. 15 55-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis and bronchiolitis
obliterans. Expiratory high-resolution CT image through left upper lobe shows
patchy areas of air trapping. Note right upper lobe tracheal bronchus
(arrow).
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Fig. 16A 10-year-old girl with Swyer-James syndrome. Inspiratory
high-resolution CT image through lower lungs shows asymmetric decrease in lung
attenuation in lingula, associated with decreased size of pulmonary vessels
and cylindric bronchiectasis. There is mild patchy decrease in attenuation in
anterior right lung.
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On histology, transmural inflammatory nodules are composed of mononuclear
cells centered on the respiratory bronchioles
(Fig. 13). Foamy macrophages
are present in the interstitium around the bronchioles and within the alveoli.
Neutrophilia on bronchoalveolar lavage analysis with or without intraluminal
exudates may be present.
On high-resolution CT, centrilobular opacities with branching lines
(tree-in-bud pattern), bronchiolectasis, and bronchiectasis are noted
(Fig. 3). Basal and peripheral
lung predominance may be noted. Areas of decreased lung attenuation due to air
trapping and large lung volumes are rare features. Cystic fibrosis,
hypogammaglobulinemia, ciliary dysmotility, and atypical mycobacterial
infection can mimic diffuse panbronchiolitis on high-resolution CT.
Bronchiectasis
Signs of inflammatory and fibrotic bronchiolitis are frequently seen in
patients with bronchiectasis of any cause, including cystic fibrosis, immune
deficiency, and previous infection, presumably because the pathologic process
involving the bronchi has also involved the small airways.
Fibrotic Bronchiolitis
Constrictive Bronchiolitis (Bronchiolitis Obliterans)
Constrictive bronchiolitis is defined histologically as concentric luminal
narrowing of the membranous and respiratory bronchioles secondary to
submucosal and peribronchiolar inflammation and fibrosis without any
intraluminal granulation tissue or polyps
(Fig. 14). Constrictive
bronchiolitis can be cryptogenic; postinfectious (mostly secondary to prior
viral or Mycoplasma infection); or secondary to noxious fume
inhalation, graft-versus-host disease, lung transplantation, rheumatoid
arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and penicillamine therapy
[23] (Appendix 1). The
histology varies according to the cause; however, all of these cases show a
basic group of findings that justify the diagnosis of constrictive
bronchiolitis. In patients who have undergone lung or heartlung
transplantation, bronchiolitis obliterans represents chronic rejection and is
characterized by submucosal and intraepithelial lymphocytic and histiocytic
infiltrates.
In patients with constrictive bronchiolitis, because the amount of abnormal
soft tissue in and around the bronchioles is relatively small, direct CT signs
of bronchiolitis are usually absent. Mosaic attenuation, air trapping, and
bronchial dilation are the most common findings
[24] (Figs.
4A,
4B and
15). Air trapping can be
lobular, segmental, or lobar or present as larger areas of confluent decreased
lung attenuation that are accentuated on expiratory imaging. Areas of low
attenuation may be associated with a reduction in the size of the pulmonary
vessels. Obtaining expiratory high-resolution CT scans increases the
likelihood of identifying areas of air trapping that are not apparent on
inspiratory scans. Most patients with bronchiolitis obliterans show central
and peripheral bronchiectasis in addition to mosaic attenuation. The cause of
the bronchiectasis associated with bronchiolitis obliterans remains unclear,
but it seems most likely to be due to concomitant injury to the large airways
by the cause of the small airways disease.

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Fig. 17 Constrictive bronchiolitis pattern in worker, in a microwave
popcorn-flavoring factory, who had severe obstructive lung disease. CT image
shows diffuse decrease in lung attenuation, with mild cylindric
bronchiectasis.
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Fig. 18 Constrictive bronchiolitis pattern in 41-year-old male double
lung transplant recipient with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. CT image
shows bilateral diffuse cylindric bronchiectasis, with diffuse decrease in
vascularity, and decrease in lung attenuation.
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Postinfectious Bronchiolitis
Most cases of postinfectious constrictive bronchiolitis are secondary to an
infection with adenovirus type 7 during childhood or infancy, but constrictive
bronchiolitis may also develop with measles, pertussis, tuberculosis, and
Mycoplasma infection
[7]
(Fig. 1). Alveolar maturation
occurs in children by the age of 8 years. If bronchiolitis occurs before this
age, it affects the division of alveoli, with a resultant decrease in the
number of alveoli and pulmonary vessels. Patients with postinfectious
bronchiolitis usually have a patchy distribution of bronchiolitis and air
trapping that results in a dramatic pattern of mosaic attenuation. Those with
Swyer-James syndrome, which is also called Macleod's syndrome, have
predominant involvement of one lobe or one lung
[25] (Fig.
16A,
16B). These patients have
focal areas of decreased lung opacity with sharp margins, reduced-size
pulmonary vessels, bronchial wall thickening, and bronchiectasis.

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Fig. 19 Constrictive bronchiolitis pattern in patient with pulmonary
neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia. High-resolution CT image shows mosaic
attenuation, which is more marked on right than on left.
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Toxic Fume Exposure
Reactive airways dysfunction syndrome appears to be more common than
bronchiolitis as a sequel of toxic fume exposure
[26] and is usually not
associated with any CT manifestations. Silo filler's lung is a classic cause
of constrictive bronchiolitis, although its incidence may have decreased with
aggressive corticosteroid treatment
[27]. Other toxic fume
exposures may also cause bronchiolitis
[28]. Most recently,
work-related inhalation of flavoring agents (used in making popcorn) has been
found to result in a clinical presentation and imaging pattern typical of
constrictive bronchiolitis
[29]
(Fig. 17).
Transplant-Related Bronchiolitis
Constrictive bronchiolitis remains the most common form of chronic
rejection in patients with lung transplants, occurring in up to 50% of
patients. Because it is not appropriate to surgically biopsy the transplanted
lung to make this diagnosis in transplant recipients, the diagnosis of
bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome in these patients is based on reduction in
the forced expiratory flow volume in 1sec (FEV1) to less than 80%
of the posttransplantation baseline value, provided that other causes such as
infection, rejection, anastomotic stenosis, or disease recurrence have been
excluded [30]. Risk factors
for the development of the syndrome include acute rejection, lymphocytic
bronchiolitis, and probably also medication noncompliance and cytomegalovirus
infection.
CT findings in patients with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome include
bronchial dilation, bronchial wall thickening, mosaic perfusion, and air
trapping on expiratory images (Fig.
18). Of these findings, expiratory air trapping appears to be the
most sensitive indicator. In one study, expiratory air trapping achieved a
sensitivity and specificity of 87.5% for the detection of bronchiolitis
obliterans syndrome [31]; in
another study [32], the
sensitivity of air trapping for histopathologically proven bronchiolitis
obliterans was 74%, with a specificity of 67%. Although the presence of air
trapping may sometimes precede the development of spirometric criteria for
bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, its sensitivity is not sufficiently great
to justify the routine use of CT for the detection of bronchiolitis
obliterans. The bronchial dilation found in patients with posttransplantation
bronchiolitis obliterans usually has lower lung predominance
[33].
Constrictive bronchiolitis is seen as a manifestation of graft-versus-host
disease in 10% of people who have received allogeneic bone marrow transplants.
Imaging findings in patients with this form of bronchiolitis are identical to
those found with bronchiolitis obliterans after lung transplantation
[34,
35].
Cryptogenic Bronchiolitis Obliterans
Cryptogenic bronchiolitis obliterans is an uncommon entity that is most
common in older women and is characterized by airway obstruction that
progresses to respiratory failure.
Imaging findingsThe imaging findings in this entity are
similar to those of patients with other forms of constrictive
bronchiolitismosaic attenuation, air trapping, and cylindrical
bronchiectasis [4,
36,
37]. A similar entity is found
in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
(Fig. 15).
Differential diagnosisThe progressive airway obstruction of
cryptogenic bronchiolitis obliterans must be differentiated from refractory
asthma. Although most cases of asthma can be distinguished from bronchiolitis
obliterans by the presence of reversible rather than irreversible airflow
obstruction, some cases of severe asthma show a lack of reversibility even
with aggressive treatment. When we compared the CT findings in patients with
refractory asthma with those of patients with cryptogenic bronchiolitis
obliterans, we found that a mosaic pattern of lung attenuation was the most
reliable distinguishing feature, being found in one (3%) of 30 patients with
asthma and in seven (50%) of 14 patients with bronchiolitis obliterans
[37]. Bronchial dilation and
vascular attenuation are also less common in patients with asthma
[38]. Distinction between
bronchiolitis obliterans and panlobular emphysema is facilitated by the
recognition of parenchymal destruction, vascular distortion, and linear scars
or thickened septa at the lung bases in most patients with panlobular
emphysema due to
1-antitrypsin deficiency
[38].
Neuroendocrine hyperplasia, a rare entity, can cause a pattern of mosaic
attenuation identical to that of bronchiolitis obliterans, but it is usually
associated with small scattered pulmonary nodules
[39,
40]
(Fig. 19).
Bronchiolitis Obliterans with Organizing Pneumonia
According to the recent consensus statement from the American Thoracic
Society and European Respiratory Society
[41], bronchiolitis obliterans
with organizing pneumonia is considered to be an idiopathic interstitial
pneumonia (cryptogenic organizing pneumonia) rather than a small airways
disease because its radiologic, clinical, and physiologic features are more
similar to those of a restrictive parenchymal process than a small airways
disease. For this reason, this entity will not be discussed further in this
article.
Summary
Bronchiolitis may be classified into inflammatory and fibrotic subtypes.
Direct signs of bronchiolitis include centrilobular nodules and tree-in-bud
pattern. Indirect signs include mosaic attenuation and air trapping.
High-resolution CT findings correlate with the histology of different forms of
bronchiolitis. The CT features presented in this article represent the typical
features associated with each entity. Although classic examples of each entity
exist, there can be substantial overlap in the appearances, and distinguishing
among these entities is not always possible. When high-resolution CT features
overlap, clinical details will usually help to narrow the differential
diagnosis.
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