Affiliation:
1. Department of Chest Medicine Taipei Veterans General Hospital Taipei Taiwan, ROC
2. Division of Chest Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine National Yang‐Ming Chiao Tung University Hospital Yi‐Lan Taiwan, ROC
3. College of Medicine National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University Taipei Taiwan, ROC
4. Department of Radiology Taipei Veterans General Hospital Taipei Taiwan, ROC
Abstract
AbstractBackground and ObjectiveCorrelations between the image analysis of CT scan, lung function and quality of life in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of pulmonary blood‐vessel distribution and the extent of fibrosis on the lung function and quality of life of patients with IPF.MethodsPatients were enrolled in an IPF registry and had completed pulmonary function tests, chest HRCT, St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and echocardiography. Pulmonary blood‐vessel distribution, specific image‐derived airway volume (siVaw) and fibrosis extent (siVfib) were quantitatively calculated by functional respiratory imaging on HRCT.ResultsThe study subjects were categorized into DLco <40% pred. (n = 40) and DLco ≥40% pred. (n = 19) groups. Patients with DLco <40% pred. had significantly higher scores of SGRQ, composite physiologic index (CPI), exercise oxygen desaturation (∆SpO2), siVaw, lower FVC% pred. and 6‐minute walking distance% pred. The proportion of small blood vessels in the upper lobes (BV5PR‐UL) was significantly correlated with CPI, DLco % Pred., FVC% pred., SGRQ and ∆SpO2. Only BV5PR‐UL had a significant impact on all indices but not BV5PR in the lower lobes (BV5PR‐LL). siVfib was significantly negatively correlated with BV5PR‐UL, DLco% pred. and FVC% pred., as well as positively correlated with CPI, ∆SpO2 and siVaw.ConclusionBV5PR‐UL and siVfib had significant correlations with lung function and may become important indicators to assess the severity of IPF and the impact on quality of life.