Radiography Chest Although there is no relevant literature to support the routine use of chest radiographs after procedures designed to treat tracheomalacia or bronchomalacia, in practice, chest radiographs may be obtained to evaluate possible complications such as pneumothorax, excessive pneumomediastinum, or aspiration. Radiography Neck There is no relevant literature to support the use of neck radiography for pre- or posttreatment evaluation of tracheomalacia or bronchomalacia. Variant 5: Adult. Clinically suspected bronchiectasis. Initial imaging. CT Chest With IV Contrast There is no relevant literature to support the use of chest CT with IV contrast for initial evaluation of suspected bronchiectasis. However, bronchiectasis can be detected incidentally on chest CT with IV contrast performed for other indications. CT Chest Without and With IV Contrast There is no relevant literature to support the use of chest CT without and with IV contrast for initial evaluation of suspected bronchiectasis. Tracheobronchial Disease The 2010 British Thoracic Society guidelines for non-cystic fibrosis (non-CF) bronchiectasis recommend thin- section CT, either conventional high-resolution CT or volumetric thin-slice CT, as the preferred examination for evaluation of suspected bronchiectasis. The guidelines acknowledge that, although certain CT distributions and appearances of bronchiectasis may suggest a particular etiology, in many cases, findings are not pathognomonic, as confirmed by the relatively low reader diagnostic performance in several retrospective CT studies [38-41]. However, CT can play a role in suggesting further clinical evaluation of causes of bronchiectasis and associated findings, such as in prompting testing for nontuberculous mycobacterial infection (NTMB) in the appropriate clinical setting [42]. CT can be used to quantify the extent and severity of bronchiectasis using a variety of techniques and software.
Tracheobronchial Disease. Radiography Chest Although there is no relevant literature to support the routine use of chest radiographs after procedures designed to treat tracheomalacia or bronchomalacia, in practice, chest radiographs may be obtained to evaluate possible complications such as pneumothorax, excessive pneumomediastinum, or aspiration. Radiography Neck There is no relevant literature to support the use of neck radiography for pre- or posttreatment evaluation of tracheomalacia or bronchomalacia. Variant 5: Adult. Clinically suspected bronchiectasis. Initial imaging. CT Chest With IV Contrast There is no relevant literature to support the use of chest CT with IV contrast for initial evaluation of suspected bronchiectasis. However, bronchiectasis can be detected incidentally on chest CT with IV contrast performed for other indications. CT Chest Without and With IV Contrast There is no relevant literature to support the use of chest CT without and with IV contrast for initial evaluation of suspected bronchiectasis. Tracheobronchial Disease The 2010 British Thoracic Society guidelines for non-cystic fibrosis (non-CF) bronchiectasis recommend thin- section CT, either conventional high-resolution CT or volumetric thin-slice CT, as the preferred examination for evaluation of suspected bronchiectasis. The guidelines acknowledge that, although certain CT distributions and appearances of bronchiectasis may suggest a particular etiology, in many cases, findings are not pathognomonic, as confirmed by the relatively low reader diagnostic performance in several retrospective CT studies [38-41]. However, CT can play a role in suggesting further clinical evaluation of causes of bronchiectasis and associated findings, such as in prompting testing for nontuberculous mycobacterial infection (NTMB) in the appropriate clinical setting [42]. CT can be used to quantify the extent and severity of bronchiectasis using a variety of techniques and software.