RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Endobronchial ultrasound to assess airway wall thickening: validation <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em>
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 813
OP 817
DO 10.1183/09031936.04.00119904
VO 23
IS 6
A1 T.J. Shaw
A1 S.L. Wakely
A1 C.R. Peebles
A1 R.L. Mehta
A1 J.M. Turner
A1 S.J. Wilson
A1 P.H. Howarth
YR 2004
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/23/6/813.abstract
AB Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) allows identification of airway wall structures and could potentially be utilised for in vivo studies of airway thickening in asthma. The present study investigated whether inflation of the fluid-filled balloon sheath over the transducer (necessary to provide sonic coupling with the airway wall) influenced in vitro measurements. In vivo comparability of EBUS with high resolution computed tomography scanning (HRCT), an established method for measuring wall thickness, was determined in control subjects. The airway diameter and wall thickness were studied using EBUS in 24 cartilaginous airways obtained from four sheep, before and after balloon sheath inflation during immersion in saline. To assess EBUS versus HRCT comparability of airway measures in vivo, 12 control subjects underwent imaging of the posterior basal bronchus of the right lower lobe by both techniques. Intra- and interobserver agreement were also assessed. Results with and without the balloon sheath gave comparable measures of airway internal diameter and wall thickness in vitro. Statistical analysis showed agreement between EBUS and HRCT, and intra- and interobserver variability in vivo. The current study concludes that endobronchial ultrasound, which does not present a radiation risk, could be utilised in the in vivo study of cartilaginous airway wall remodelling in respiratory diseases, such as asthma. This work was supported by the Bournemouth Chest Diseases Charitable Trust.