Intrathoracic tracheal volume and collapsibility on inspiratory and end-expiratory ct scans correlations with lung volume and pulmonary function in 85 smokers.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the correlations of tracheal volume and collapsibility on inspiratory and end-expiratory computed tomography (CT) with lung volume and with lung function in smokers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The institutional review board approved this study at each institution. 85 smokers (mean age 68, range 45-87 years; 40 females and 45 males) underwent pulmonary function tests and chest CT at full inspiration and end-expiration. On both scans, intrathoracic tracheal volume and lung volume were measured. Collapsibility of the trachea and the lung was expressed as expiratory/inspiratory (E/I) ratios of these volumes. Correlations of the tracheal measurements with the lung measurements and with lung function were evaluated by the linear regression analysis.