Faces of Rheumatoid Arthritis and the Lung

Parts
Size
Shape
Position
Character
Time Associated Findings

Infection

Inflammation

Follicular Bronchiolitis aka bronchiolitis Obliterans

CXR Constrictive Bronchiolitis aka Bronchiolitis Obliterans
70-year-old female former smoker with long standing history of RA presents with chronic dyspnea. Frontal view of the chest reveals a coarsened nodular interstitial pattern with magnified views showing the micronodularity in the lower panels.
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net 132Lu 136650c01
CT Follicular Bronchiolitis, (aka Bronchiolitis Obliterans), Centrilobular Nodules, Air Trapping, Ground Glass Opacities (GGO) in Upper Lobes
70-year-old female former smoker with long standing history of RA presents with chronic dyspnea.
Axial CT of the chest at the level of the aortic arch reveals centrilobular nodules (b, white arrowheads) , ground-glass opacities, and mosaic attenuation (b, white rings) likely due to air trapping in this context, and bronchial wall thickening (b, c teal rings). There is some irregular thickening of the interlobular septa. In the context of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis a diagnosis of follicular bronchiolitis is likely. However radiologically fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is included in the differential diagnosis
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net 132Lu 136652cL
CT Follicular Bronchiolitis, (aka Bronchiolitis Obliterans), Bronchial Wall Thickening
70-year-old female former smoker with long standing history of RA presents with chronic dyspnea.
Axial CT of the chest at the level of the carina reveals centrilobular nodules, ground-glass opacities, and mosaic attenuation (likely due to air trapping in this context) and bronchial wall thickening . Bronchial wall thickening (b, maroon arrowheads) and irregular septal thickening (b maroon arrowheads) are noted.
In the context of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis a diagnosis of follicular bronchiolitis is likely. However radiologically fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is included in the differential diagnosis
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net 132Lu 136654cL
CT Follicular Bronchiolitis, (aka Bronchiolitis Obliterans), Centrilobular Nodules, Air Trapping, Ground Glass Opacities (GGO) in Lower Lobes
70-year-old female former smoker with long standing history of RA presents with chronic dyspnea.
Axial CT of the chest at the level of the lower lung fields reveals centrilobular nodules (b white arrowheads), ground-glass opacities, and mosaic attenuation (b, white rings) likely due to air trapping in this context.
In the context of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis a diagnosis of follicular bronchiolitis is likely. However radiologically fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is included in the differential diagnosis
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net 132Lu 136657cL
CT Follicular Bronchiolitis, (aka Bronchiolitis Obliterans), Centrilobular Nodules, Air Trapping, Ground Glass Opacities (GGO)
70-year-old female former smoker with long standing history of RA presents with chronic dyspnea.
CT in the coronal plane of the chest at the level of the spine reveals bilateral diffuse changes in the lungs characterized by centrilobular nodules, ground-glass opacities, mosaic attenuation (likely due to air trapping in this context) and irregular thickening of the interlobular septa.
In the context of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis a diagnosis of follicular bronchiolitis is likely. However radiologically fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is included in the differential diagnosis
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net 132Lu 136664

Malignancy

Mechanical

Atelectasis

Trauma

Metabolic

Circulatory-

Hemorrhage

Immune Infiltrative Idiopathic Iatrogenic