Diagnosis of broncholithiasis. Role of high resolution tomodensitometry
Ferretti, G.; Coulomb, M.; Blanc-Jouvan, F.; Ranchoup, Y.; Pittet-Barbier, L.; Thony, F.
Journal de Radiologie 75(10): 531-536
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0221-0363 PMID: 7799275 Document Number: 427267
to evaluate high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in the diagnosis of broncholithiasis. 10 patients with broncholithiasis underwent chest X ray, fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB), CT and HRCT. in 9 cases, chest X rays were abnormal but the diagnosis of broncholithiasis can't never be affirmed. In 9 cases, FOB was abnormal: broncholith were identified in only 2 cases; the other diagnosis were tumor like stenosis (n = 3), inflammatory stenosis (n = 3), extrinsic compression (n = 1). On conventional CT scan, broncholithiasis was suspected in 8 patients but because of volume averaging the relationship between calcified lymph nodes and bronchial tree was difficult to determine exactly. Only HRCT sections, sometimes tilted in the axis of the middle lobar bronchus, can affirm the endobronchial or peribronchial location of calcified lymph nodes in all patients. conventional CT scan can suggest the presence of broncholithiasis but HRCT sections are need to affirm the diagnosis.