3DCT diagnosis of the central tracheobronchial lesions

3D images of the central tracheobronchial wall (3D bronchoimage) were obtained in 22 patients. The equipment was Somatom Plus-S (Siemens, Germany). 3D bronchoimages were reconstructed from 20-40 2 mm-thick transaxial spinal CT images. 3D bronchoimages could reveal the endwall appearance even the segmental bronchial lesions from any direction. In this series the smallest lesion was 2 mm nodule. The principal cause of the wave shape artifacts arised on the one side of the wall were seemed to be the motion artifacts derived from the heart and great vessels. This method is useful for the follow-up of the central air way diseases because of its safety and objectiveness. (author)