The role of imaging in the diagnosis of bronchiectasis: the key is in the distribution.

Source: PubMed, NCBI / U.S. National Library of Medicine

Diseases that involve the medium caliber airways (segmental and subsegmental bronchi) are common and present clinically with nonspecific respiratory symptoms such as cough, recurrent respiratory infections and occasionally, hemoptysis. The abnormal and irreversible dilation of bronchi is known as "bronchiectasis". The diagnosis can be challenging and the analysis of the regional distribution of the bronchiectasis is the most useful diagnostic guide. The objective of this manuscript is to describe the main imaging findings of bronchiectasis and their classification, review the diseases that most commonly present with this abnormality, and provide an approach to the diagnosis based on their imaging appearance and anatomic distribution. Bronchiectasis is a frequent finding that may result from a broad range of disorders. Imaging plays a paramount role in diagnosis, both in the detection and classification, and in the diagnosis of the underlying pathology.