CT imaging of peripheral pulmonary vessel disease

Eur Radiol. 2005 Oct;15(10):2045-56. doi: 10.1007/s00330-005-2740-y. Epub 2005 May 20.

Abstract

The diseases concerning the small pulmonary vessels are difficult to diagnose. Pathologic findings are rarely limited to the small vessels, and a continuum between the involvement of small and large vessels is frequent. Moreover, small vessels can be affected by various disease entities with overlapping radiologic features and a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. Nevertheless, these various entities can be easily separated into two different groups by imaging techniques, particularly by computed tomography: obstructive and inflammatory diseases. Radiologic findings of obstructive diseases are relatively constant, dominated by the manifestation of pulmonary hypertension. In contrast, radiologic manifestations of inflammatory diseases are often florid and nonspecific. After a recall of the classification of small vessel diseases and the imaging techniques, we show the computed tomography features of the principal diseases involving the small pulmonary vessels by classifying them in these two principal groups.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Arterial Occlusive Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
  • Arterial Occlusive Diseases / pathology
  • Humans
  • Lung / blood supply
  • Peripheral Vascular Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
  • Peripheral Vascular Diseases / pathology
  • Pulmonary Artery / diagnostic imaging*
  • Pulmonary Artery / pathology
  • Pulmonary Veins / diagnostic imaging*
  • Pulmonary Veins / pathology
  • Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease / diagnostic imaging*
  • Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease / pathology
  • Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed* / methods