The Role of HRCT in Evaluation of Thoracic Manifestations of Rheumatoid Arthritis
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- Category: Vol. 82, June 2014
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The Role of HRCT in Evaluation of Thoracic Manifestations of Rheumatoid Arthritis, YOUSSRIAH Y. SABRI, TAKEYA TAYMOUR, MARWA M. SHAABAN and SALLY F.K. TADROS
Abstract
Introduction: RA is a common collagen vascular disease that affects 1-2% of the general population. In nearly 50% of patients with RA, there is some form of extra-articular in-volvement in the disease process. Pulmonary complications of RA include pleural thickening or effusion, bronchiectasis, ILD, obliterative bronchiolitis, follicular bronchiolitis, pul-monary nodules, pulmonary hypertension, and lung infections.
Patients and Methods: This study involved 20 patients; 14 females and 6 males, age range 16-64 years (average of 48 years). All patients were known cases of RA presenting with dyspnea and cough. HRCT chest was performed in all patients.
Results: HRCT was able to detect 2 forms of pulmonary involvement: Either airway disease in the form of hyperinfla-tion, bronchiectasis, mosaic perfusion and bronchial wall thickening or ILD in the form of GGO, reticulations, and cysts.
Conclusion: Role of HRCT imaging in the evaluation and diagnosis of patients with intra-thoracic manifestations of RA is central, being accurate and non-invasive.