Aplicabilidade da tomografia computadorizada de baixa dose na avaliação da doença sistêmica da fibrose cistica

Abstract

Introduction: There are several systemic clinical manifestations in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) that can lead to irreversible damage and compromise their quality of life. Methods of assessment that can predict progression, especially those of lung damage, are already being discussed. Low dose chest CT has been used as a helpful tool and may be further investigated for systemic CF diseases. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, by retrospective analysis of medical records of CF patients in multidisciplinary follow-up at Hospital São Lucas, PUC-RS. Information was gathered regarding pulmonary function by using forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), bone and liver density obtained by ultrassound (US) and bone densitometry (DEXA), respectively. Low dose thorax and paranasal CT scans were used to analyze upper airway, lung parenchyma, hepatic and bone density information. Well known scores described in the medical literature were used for that assessment. Results: Data from thirty-seven patients were used in the present study. We observed a mean FEV1 of 77.7%. Median Brody score was 26 points. There was a moderate statistic correlation between Brody score and FEV1 (r= 0.597; p=0.001). Bone mineral density assessed by DEXA and by CT scan also showed statistical significant correlation (r=0.690; p<0.001). Conclusion: Low dose CT scan can contribute in the assessment of systemic manifestations of CF lung and bone disease. Additional research can add to the information obtained in this study on the assessment of upper airway or hepatic disease in CF using low dose CT scans.