CT Scan to Detect COPD Exacerbation

Pulmonary artery enlargement can be mapped using CT Imaging as was observed in the recent research report in New England Journal of Medicine. Thus, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which is associated with such enlargement, can now be mapped using CT Imaging.

The researchers identified in the journal that PA:A ratio could map severe COPD exacerbations, a ratio of more than 1 positively indicating the same. This outcome was based on 3464 participating patients in the age group of 45-80 years. These patients were also either current or recent smokers with a history of 10 pack-years or more smoking to their records, the report mentioned.

Out of these patients, 53% with a PA:A ratio of more than 1, as compared to just 13% with ratio of 1 or less, reported excessive COPD exacerbations, indicated the researchers in their findings. During the research, to arrive at the findings, volumetric CT scans of chest were retrieved with contrast material. Also, out of the severe exacerbations amongst the participating patients, several of them were required to be hospitalised.

Apart from the ability of CT Imaging to derive the above findings based on PA:A ratio, it also was able to associate the increased risk of future severe exacerbations for both the trial cohort as well as external validation cohort as noted by the study.