What is focal bronchiectasis?

What is focal bronchiectasis?

Focal bronchiectasis usually occurs when a large airway becomes obstructed. The resulting inability to clear secretions leads to a cycle of infection, inflammation, and airway wall damage. The right middle lobe is involved most often because its bronchus is small and angulated and has lymph nodes in close proximity.

Is bronchiectasis a serious lung condition?

Complications of bronchiectasis are rare, but they can be serious. One of the most serious complications is coughing up large amounts of blood, caused by one of the blood vessels in the lungs splitting. This can be life-threatening and may require emergency surgery to treat it.

Is mild bronchiectasis serious?

Bronchiectasis can affect one, or several parts of the lung. It can be quite mild, where there is not a lot of mucus or can be more severe where people might cough up more mucus. Infections can cause the lungs to become inflamed, which can damage or block parts of the lung.

What causes focal bronchiectasis?

What does bronchiectasis look like on a CT scan?

A radiologist will associate bronchiectasis with the typical chest computed tomography (CT) scan features, consisting of an abnormally widened and thickened airway with an irregular wall, lack of tapering and/or visibility of the airway in the periphery of the lung [2].

Can you have a normal life with bronchiectasis?

Most people diagnosed with bronchiectasis have a normal life expectancy with treatment tailored to their needs. Some adults with bronchiectasis developed symptoms when they were children and live with bronchiectasis for many years. Some people, who have very severe bronchiectasis, may have a shorter life expectancy.

Is bronchiectasis a progressive disease?

Bronchiectasis is a common, progressive respiratory disease characterised by permanent dilatation of the bronchi and presenting with a clinical syndrome of cough, sputum production and recurrent respiratory infections.

Can you be misdiagnosed with bronchiectasis?

Sometimes airways with a normal diameter are misdiagnosed as bronchiectasis because of a thickened airway wall. Such thickening can be reversed in response to effective therapy. Differences in lung volume between baseline and follow-up CT can also result in the “disappearance” of bronchiectasis.

Can you see bronchiectasis on a CT scan?

A CT scan may reveal dilated, thickened airways, which are commonly found in bronchiectasis.