New Frontiers in Asthma Chest Imaging.

Modern pulmonary imaging can reveal underlying pathological and pathophysiological changes in the lungs of people with asthma, with important clinical implications. A multitude of imaging modalities are now used to examine underlying structure/function relationships including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, optical coherence tomography, and endobronchial ultrasound. Imaging-based biomarkers from these techniques, including airway dimensions, blood vessel volumes, mucus scores, ventilation defect extent and air trapping extent, often have increased sensitivity compared to traditional lung function measurements, and are increasingly used as endpoints in clinical trials.

Use of Quantitative CT Imaging to Identify Bronchial Thermoplasty Responders.

Background: Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) is a treatment for patients with poorly controlled, severe asthma. However, predictors of treatment response to BT are defined poorly.

Research Question: Do baseline radiographic and clinical characteristics exist that predict response to BT?

Study Design And Methods: We conducted a longitudinal prospective cohort study of participants with severe asthma receiving BT across eight academic medical centers.