Abstract
Bronchiectasis is defined as a permanent and progressive dilation of the airways,
typically as a result of inflammation, infection, and subsequent repair. It typically
presents with chronic cough, suppurative sputum production, and airway dilation. High-resolution
computed tomography (HRCT) is now well established as the primary imaging tool for
its investigation. Cystic fibrosis (CF) remains the most common autosomal recessive
inherited disorder worldwide and its pulmonary hallmark is bronchiectasis. Although
CF and non-CF bronchiectasis are different clinical entities, they are typically imaged
using HRCT and share many imaging aspects, and also some differences. Several important
recent CT technology developments have improved the detection and characterization
of bronchiectasis and its complications. Many CT aspects of radiation exposure have
also undergone important enhancements in recent years resulting in significant dose
reductions. This is particularly relevant in a pulmonary disease such as bronchiectasis,
which often undergoes serial HRCT surveillance in contemporary practice. Several new
CT clinical applications in bronchiectasis have been recently advanced, and CT is
now being increasingly incorporated into investigative algorithms to assess bronchiectasis
treatment effects. In this review, we assess the latest imaging features of CF and
non-CF bronchiectasis, discuss radiation dose reducing methods and technology of the
latest scanners, describe recent CT clinical applications, and explore the use of
CT as a treatment surrogate in CF and non-CF bronchiectasis.
Keywords
cystic fibrosis - computed tomography - X-ray - bronchiectasis - radiation
