Lung Imaging in COPD Part 1: Clinical Usefulness

COPD is a condition characterized by chronic airflow obstruction resulting from chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both. The clinical picture is usually progressive with respiratory symptoms such as exertional dyspnea and chronic cough. For many years, spirometry was used to establish a diagnosis of COPD. Recent advancements in imaging techniques allow quantitative and qualitative analysis of the lung parenchyma as well as related airways and vascular and extrapulmonary manifestations of COPD. These imaging methods may allow prognostication of disease and shed light on the efficacy of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions. This is the first of a two-part series of articles on the usefulness of imaging methods in COPD, and it highlights useful information that clinicians can obtain from these imaging studies to make more accurate diagnosis and therapeutic decisions.