Small airways response to naturalistic cat allergen exposure in subjects with asthma.

Background: It is currently unclear whether the small airways (diameter <2 microm) contribute significantly to late asthmatic reactions to inhaled allergen.

Objectives: We sought to determine whether naturalistic exposure to cat allergen induced late responses in the small airways as measured by pulmonary function testing and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the chest performed at end-expiration.

Methods: In a group of 10 subjects with cat-induced asthma, physiologic studies (spirometry and lung volumes, including closing volume) and HRCT were performed before and 6 and 23 hours after a cat room challenge that caused a 20% or greater acute fall in FEV(1).

Emphysema: effect of reconstruction algorithm on CT imaging measures.

In the current study, the effects of reconstruction algorithms on quantitative measures derived from computed tomographic (CT) lung images were assessed in patients with emphysema. CT image data sets were reconstructed with a standard algorithm and alternative algorithm(s) for 42 subjects. Algorithms were grouped as overenhancing, sharp, standard, or smooth.