Excessive dynamic airway collapse co-morbid with COPD diagnosed using 320-slice dynamic CT scanning technology
- 1Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Melbourne, Australia
- 2Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Melbourne, Australia
- 3Monash Institute of Medical Research, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, Australia
- Correspondence toSimon Joosten, Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Rd, Clayton, 3168, Melbourne, Australia; drjoosten{at}hotmail.com
- Accepted 28 February 2010
- Published Online First 7 July 2010
- COPD complications
- COPD exacerbations
- COPD treatment
- cough/mechanisms/pharmacology
- emission-computed
- imaging/CT MRI
- imaging, three-dimensional
- respiratory-gated imaging techniques
- tomography
- tracheomalacia
Tracheomalacia is a term used to describe weakness of the trachea. Strictly speaking, tracheomalacia means weakness of cartilaginous structures of the trachea, while excessive dynamic airway collapse (EDAC) describes invagination of the posterior membrane of the trachea leading to a ≥50% reduction in airway lumen.1 Tracheomalacia and EDAC are thought to exist in a significant portion of patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).2
An 88-year-old man presented with a 2 day history of episodic dyspnoea, wheeze and non-productive cough, on a background of COPD. Despite treatment …
