Evaluation of tracheobronchial disease with helical CT with multiplanar and three-dimensional reconstruction: correlation with bronchoscopy.

The advantage of volumetric computed tomography in the thorax is the possibility of acquiring both multiplanar and three-dimensional (3D) images, thus enabling precise diagnosis and evaluation of extent of disease involving the airways. Multiplanar and 3D images appear to be useful for global understanding of the status of the tracheobronchial tree, particularly for evaluation of focal stenosis of the airways. Such images seem to be especially useful in evaluating the longitudinal extent of airway lesions, thus providing valuable information for preparing a road map for bronchoscopy, for surgical planning, and for follow-up of treatment response. However, multiplanar and 3D images do not appear to be useful in lesion detection or evaluation of transaxial extension. Multiplanar and 3D images also seem to be helpful in demonstrating whether a lesion is endobronchial, submucosal, or peribronchial. The quality of such images appears to be excellent or good in almost all patients.