Chest
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Cavities occasionally are encountered on thoracic images. Their differential diagnosis is large and includes, among others, various infections, autoimmune conditions, and primary and metastatic malignancies. ⋯ A chronic process (≥ 12 weeks) suggests mycobacterial, fungal, viral, or parasitic infections; malignancy (primary lung cancer or metastases); or autoimmune disorders (rheumatoid arthritis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis). Although a number of radiographic features can suggest a diagnosis, their lack of specificity requires that imaging findings be combined with the clinical context to make a confident diagnosis.
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Observational Study
Diagnostic Ability of a Dynamic Multidisciplinary Discussion in Interstitial Lung Diseases: A Retrospective Observational Study of 938 Cases.
The advice of a dynamic multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) is believed to be important in the diagnosis of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). However, to what extent MDD diagnoses differ from the preliminary diagnoses before formal workup and MDD (preMDD diagnoses) is still insufficiently studied. ⋯ The MDD provided a definite diagnosis in 80.5% of presented cases, suggesting further investigations in almost all others. Given the high number of patients without preMDD diagnosis, the rate of change in preMDD diagnoses (41.9% of patients with a preMDD diagnosis) probably is an underestimation. The better prognostic discrimination among ILDs by using MDD indicates the added value of MDD in ILD.
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Multicenter Study
Cough Frequency During Treatment Associated With Baseline Cavitary Volume and Proximity to the Airway in Pulmonary TB.
Cough frequency, and its duration, is a biomarker that can be used in low-resource settings without the need of laboratory culture and has been associated with transmission and treatment response. Radiologic characteristics associated with increased cough frequency may be important in understanding transmission. The relationship between cough frequency and cavitary lung disease has not been studied. ⋯ Cough frequency during treatment is greater and lasts longer in patients with larger cavities, especially those closer to the airway.