Natural history of honeycombing: follow-up of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treated with single-lung transplantation

摘要: Although honeycombing is one of the key features for diagnosis idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), its origin and evolution are still poorly understood. The aim our study was to analyse natural history in patients treated with single-lung transplantation. We considered seven who underwent transplantation; two them (28.6%) were excluded from analysis because they died posttransplantation period, whereas remaining five (71.4%) evaluated computed tomography (CT) over 67.6±38.56 months. Each CT scan assessed disease extension cyst size (visual score target cysts); scans acquired after 2006 also native lung volume. All showed progression (with a concurrent reduction volume two, 40%) honeycombing, increased number cysts four (80%). observed dimensional changes all (enlargement or reduction); three (60%) had radiological evidence complications, such as spontaneous rupture pneumothorax development mycetomas within cysts. Honeycombing dynamic process which overall trend represented by increase cystic pattern; however, single may have different (enlargement, complications). This behaviour could be explained variety pathogenetic processes underlying that present abnormal communication airway, including check-valve mechanism.