Respiratory tract exacerbations play a crucial role in progressive lung damage of people with cystic fibrosis, representing a major determinant in the loss of functional lung tissue, quality of life and patient survival. Detection and monitoring of respiratory tract exacerbations are challenging for clinicians, since under- and over-treatment convey several risks for the patient. Although various diagnostic and monitoring tools are available, their implementation is hampered by the current definition of respiratory tract exacerbation, which lacks objective "cut-offs" for clinical and lung function parameters. In particular, the latter shows a large variability, making the current 10% change in spirometry outcomes an unreliable threshold to detect exacerbation. Moreover, spirometry cannot be reliably performed in preschool children and new emerging tools, such as the forced oscillation technique, are still complementary and need more validation. Therefore, lung imaging is a key in providing respiratory tract exacerbation-related structural and functional information. However, imaging encompasses several diagnostic options, each with different advantages and limitations; for instance, conventional chest radiography, the most used radiological technique, may lack sensitivity and specificity in respiratory tract exacerbations diagnosis. Other methods, including computed tomography, positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, are limited by either radiation safety issues or the need for anesthesia in uncooperative patients. Finally, lung ultrasound has been proposed as a safe bedside option but it is highly operator-dependent and there is no strong evidence of its possible use during respiratory tract exacerbation. This review summarizes the clinical challenges of respiratory tract exacerbations in patients with cystic fibrosis with a special focus on imaging. Firstly, the definition of respiratory tract exacerbation is examined, while diagnostic and monitoring tools are briefly described to set the scene. This is followed by advantages and disadvantages of each imaging technique, concluding with a diagnostic imaging algorithm for disease monitoring during respiratory tract exacerbation in the cystic fibrosis patient.

Management of respiratory tract exacerbations in people with cystic fibrosis: focus on imaging / Landini, Nicholas; Ciet, Pierluigi; Janssens, Hettie M; Bertolo, Silvia; Ros, Mirco; Mattone, Monica; Catalano, Carlo; Majo, Fabio; Costa, Stefano; Gramegna, Andrea; Lucca, Francesca; Parisi, Giuseppe Fabio; Saba, Luca; Tiddens, Harm A W M; Morana, Giovanni. - In: FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS. - ISSN 2296-2360. - 10:(2023). [10.3389/fped.2022.1084313]

Management of respiratory tract exacerbations in people with cystic fibrosis: focus on imaging

Landini, Nicholas
Primo
;
Mattone, Monica;Catalano, Carlo;
2023

Abstract

Respiratory tract exacerbations play a crucial role in progressive lung damage of people with cystic fibrosis, representing a major determinant in the loss of functional lung tissue, quality of life and patient survival. Detection and monitoring of respiratory tract exacerbations are challenging for clinicians, since under- and over-treatment convey several risks for the patient. Although various diagnostic and monitoring tools are available, their implementation is hampered by the current definition of respiratory tract exacerbation, which lacks objective "cut-offs" for clinical and lung function parameters. In particular, the latter shows a large variability, making the current 10% change in spirometry outcomes an unreliable threshold to detect exacerbation. Moreover, spirometry cannot be reliably performed in preschool children and new emerging tools, such as the forced oscillation technique, are still complementary and need more validation. Therefore, lung imaging is a key in providing respiratory tract exacerbation-related structural and functional information. However, imaging encompasses several diagnostic options, each with different advantages and limitations; for instance, conventional chest radiography, the most used radiological technique, may lack sensitivity and specificity in respiratory tract exacerbations diagnosis. Other methods, including computed tomography, positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, are limited by either radiation safety issues or the need for anesthesia in uncooperative patients. Finally, lung ultrasound has been proposed as a safe bedside option but it is highly operator-dependent and there is no strong evidence of its possible use during respiratory tract exacerbation. This review summarizes the clinical challenges of respiratory tract exacerbations in patients with cystic fibrosis with a special focus on imaging. Firstly, the definition of respiratory tract exacerbation is examined, while diagnostic and monitoring tools are briefly described to set the scene. This is followed by advantages and disadvantages of each imaging technique, concluding with a diagnostic imaging algorithm for disease monitoring during respiratory tract exacerbation in the cystic fibrosis patient.
2023
chest radiography; computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging; cystic fibrosis; imaging; inflammation; lung function; respiratory tract exacerbations
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01g Articolo di rassegna (Review)
Management of respiratory tract exacerbations in people with cystic fibrosis: focus on imaging / Landini, Nicholas; Ciet, Pierluigi; Janssens, Hettie M; Bertolo, Silvia; Ros, Mirco; Mattone, Monica; Catalano, Carlo; Majo, Fabio; Costa, Stefano; Gramegna, Andrea; Lucca, Francesca; Parisi, Giuseppe Fabio; Saba, Luca; Tiddens, Harm A W M; Morana, Giovanni. - In: FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS. - ISSN 2296-2360. - 10:(2023). [10.3389/fped.2022.1084313]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1677313
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