Central airway stenoses: preliminary results of spiral-CT-generated virtual bronchoscopy simulations in 29 patients

Eur Radiol. 1997;7(6):854-9. doi: 10.1007/s003300050218.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of using virtual bronchoscopy simulations to depict stenoses of the tracheobronchial tree. Virtual bronchoscopy simulations, based on ray casting, were applied to spiral-CT data sets of 29 patients presenting 41 stenoses of the central airways, proved with fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Simulations of the inner walls of the airways were of good quality in 27 of 29 patients. Airway stenoses were depicted in 39 of 41 cases. Evaluation of the length of stenoses and surrounding tissues required simultaneous display of multiplanar reformations. Virtual bronchoscopy provides a valuable road map for bronchoscopy, in an image format familiar to bronchoscopists.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Bronchial Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Bronchial Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Bronchoscopy*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Constriction, Pathologic
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*
  • Tracheal Stenosis / diagnosis*
  • Tracheal Stenosis / diagnostic imaging