Automated CT-based decoupling of the effects of airway narrowing and wall thinning on airway counts in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

We examine pathways of airway alteration due to wall thinning, narrowing, and obliteration in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using CT-derived airway metrics.

Methods

Ex-smokers (N = 649; age mean ± std: 69 ± 6 years; 52% male) from the COPDGene Iowa cohort (September 2013-July 2017) were studied. Total airway count (TAC), peripheral TAC beyond 7th generation (TACp), and airway wall thickness (WT) were computed from chest CT scans using previously validated automated methods. Causal relationships among demographic, smoking, spirometry, COPD severity, airway counts, WT, and scanner variables were analysed using causal inference techniques including direct acyclic graphs to assess multi-pathway alterations of airways in COPD.

Results

TAC, TACp, an

SUBMITTER: Nadeem SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11652725 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature