RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Late-breaking abstract: High-resolution CT findings and inter-observer concordance for acute hypersensitivity pneumonitis associated with home ultrasonic humidifiers
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP P3761
VO 44
IS Suppl 58
A1 Atsushi Kitamura
A1 Hiroshi Nakaoka
A1 Kouhei Okafuji
A1 Yutaka Tomishima
A1 Torahiko Jinta
A1 Naoki Nishimura
A1 Naohiko Chohnabayashi
YR 2014
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P3761.abstract
AB [Introduction]Acute hypersensitivity pneumonitis associated with home ultrasonic humidifiers ("humidifier lung") is relatively rare. There have been few reports of the high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings of this disease. We examined clinical characteristics and the HRCT findings in patients with humidifier lung and evaluated inter-observer concordance for certain radiologic features.[Patients and Methods]The study subjects were 9 patients who were diagnosed with humidifier lung at our hospital between April 2012 and May 2014. In addition to ascertaining clinical information, the CT images of each subject were evaluated independently by seven respiratory specialists and two respiratory residents.[Results]Positive individual reporting of CT findings and the rates of inter-observer concordance were, respectively, pleural effusion (2/9, 88.9%), mediastinal lymphadenopathy (1/9, 88.9%), thickening of bronchial vascular bundles (0/9, 61.0%), centrilobular granular shadows (6/9, 83.0%), and pan-lobular ground-glass opacity (9/9, 94.3%). Centrilobular granular shadows were observed only in patients whose duration from beginning of inhalation to onset of symptoms is more than three months. No other correlation was found between clinical characteristics and CT findings.[Conclusions]All patients had pan-lobular ground-glass opacity on HRCT, with high rate of inter-observer concordance. This feature is therefore a useful marker for humidifier lung. The presence of centrilobular granular shadows suggest the duration from inhalation to onset exceeds three months.