Radiology, Vol 162, 377-381, Copyright © 1987 by Radiological Society of North America
Usual interstitial pneumonia: correlation of CT with clinical, functional, and radiologic findings
CA Staples, NL Muller, S Vedal, R Abboud, D Ostrow and RR Miller
Correlation between disease extent on computed tomographic (CT) scans and
severity of clinical and functional impairment was obtained in 23 patients
with usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) by review of the clinical data,
pulmonary function tests, chest radiographs, and CT scans. The CT scans and
chest radiographs were each read twice by two independent observers.
Disease extent was assessed on CT scans by a visual score (0%-100%
involvement of the lung parenchyma) and on the radiograph by the
International Labour Office classification. There was good intraobserver
and interobserver agreement for both CT and radiograph scores (all r
greater than or equal to .71). CT scans gave a better estimate of disease
extent and showed more extensive honeycombing than did the radiograph. A
significant correlation was found between the extent of disease as assessed
with CT and the severity of dyspnea (r = .62, P less than .001), as well as
between CT and impairment in gas exchange as assessed by the diffusing
capacity (r = .64, P less than .001). There was poor correlation between
disease severity as assessed with chest radiography and the clinical and
functional variables (all r less than or equal to .39).
