New lung scan technique could transform how doctors diagnose asthma and COPD
Researchers have developed a rapid diagnostic tool that can distinguish between asthma, emphysema, and other airway diseases by measuring how particles deposit in the lungs. The technique could enable faster, more accurate diagnosis—potentially reducing misdiagnosis rates and helping clinicians choose the right treatment faster, which matters for both patient outcomes and healthcare costs.
Originaltitel: Aerosol deposition in the lung as a biomarker in asthma and chronic obstruction
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to explore the potential of Airspace Dimension Assessment (AiDA) to rapidly determine the type and severity of airway obstruction, detect emphysema in individuals with chronic airflow limitation (CAL), and distinguish it from non-emphysematous obstruction, asthma, and absence of respiratory disease with normal spirometry. METHODS: /FVC < 0.7), whereof 12 had CT-detected emphysema. AiDA measurements were compared across these groups and to 111 healthy controls (never-smokers with normal spirometry and no history of respiratory disease). RESULTS: = 0.56). CONCLUSIONS: does reflect conducting airway abnormality.