Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia with Fibrosis: Serial high-resolution CT findings with functional correlation

OBJECTIVE. We assessed serial changes in high-resolution CT findings and pu lmonary function in patients with nonspecific interstitial pneumonia with f ibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Serial high-resolution CT findings in 13 patients wi th biopsy-proven nonspecific interstitial pneumonia with fibrosis (mean fol low-up period, 11 months) and pulmonary function tests (mean follow-up peri od, 11 months) were retrospectively analyzed. On CT, the presence and exten t of ground-glass opacity, irregular linear opacity, honeycombing and conso lidation were assessed. RESULTS. On initial CT, all patients had areas of ground-glass opacity (mea n +/- SD, 21.6% +/- 14.4) and irregular linear opacity (5.0% +/- 5.2). The areas of ground-glass opacity decreased significantly on follow-up CT (13.5 % +/- 10.5, p = .003). The areas of irregular linear opacity decreased slig htly (4.2% +/- 5.2, p < .05). Initial forced vital capacity (69.4% +/- 16.0 ) improved significantly on follow-up examination (83.9% +/- 16.5) (p = .00 3). The decrease in the extent of ground-glass opacity on CT correlated sig nificantly with changes in forced vital capacity (r = -.702, p = .007) and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (r = -.597, p = .031). CONCLUSION. In patients with nonspecific interstitial pneumonia with fibros is, areas of ground-glass opacity decrease on follow-up high-resolution CT, and the extent of decrease correlates significantly with that of functiona l improvement.