American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Jan 2016
Lung Clearance Index and Structural Lung Disease on Computed Tomography in Early Cystic Fibrosis.
The lung clearance index is a measure of ventilation distribution derived from the multiple-breath washout technique. It has been suggested as a surrogate for chest computed tomography to detect structural lung abnormalities in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF); however, the associations between lung clearance index and early structural lung disease are unclear. ⋯ These data suggest that lung clearance index may be a useful surveillance tool to monitor structural lung disease in preschool and school-age children with CF. However, lung clearance index cannot replace chest computed tomography to screen for bronchiectasis in this population.