Purpose: To compare virtual endoscopy of the upper airways with fiberoptic bronchoscopic examination in patients affected by non-neoplastic inflammatory disease of the trachea.
Materials and methods: Twelve patients with non-neoplastic tracheal stenosis or with tracheo-oesophageal fistula underwent a fiberoptic endoscopy and a spiral CT examination with the following protocol: collimation/table feed/reconstruction increment 3 mm/6 mm/1 mm from the larynx to the carenabronchial septum. Images were sent to a dedicated workstation equipped with a software allowing generation of 3D reconstructions and virtual endoscopic images. Lesion features were compared in the two examinations.
Results: In all cases the lesions features visualized with virtual display modality were confirmed by conventional endoscopy. Measurements were easily made on the 3D MPR images while conventional endoscopy allowed only a qualitative assessment of the lesion. In no cases did virtual endoscopy provide information on the mucosa appearance. Swallowing and breathing never caused significant artifacts during the 3D post processing.
Conclusion: Virtual bronchoscopy is a useful technique for preoperative evaluation and for the follow-up of patients with non-neoplastic inflammatory disease of the upper airways.