DOI: 10.36347/sasjm.2016.v02i06.010

Pages: 172-177

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by persistent airflow limitation and heterogeneous structural lung abnormalities. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) provides detailed morphological assessment, but its correlation with spirometric indices in Indian populations remains incompletely characterised. Objectives: To evaluate the correlation between HRCT morphological findings and pulmonary function test (PFT) parameters in patients with COPD, and to assess whether HRCT features can predict the severity of airflow obstruction. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at a tertiary care hospital in South India over a six-month period (June–December 2015). Thirty-six patients with spirometry-confirmed COPD (post-bronchodilator FEV₁/FVC < 0.70) underwent HRCT thorax and PFT evaluation. HRCT findings emphysema severity, bronchial wall thickening (BWT), air trapping, and bronchiectasis were visually scored and correlated with FEV₁, FVC, FEV₁/FVC, and PEFR using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: The mean age was 58.2 ± 9.4 years, with a male predominance (83.3%). Emphysema was the most common HRCT finding (72.2%), followed by BWT (58.3%), air trapping (47.2%), and bronchiectasis (19.4%). Emphysema severity demonstrated a significant inverse correlation with FEV₁ (r = −0.56, p < 0.001), FVC (r = −0.38, p = 0.021), and FEV₁/FVC (r = −0.43, p = 0.009). BWT showed a negative correlation with FEV₁ (r = −0.42, p = 0.011). Air trapping correlated inversely with FEV₁/FVC (r = −0.48, p = 0.003). GOLD stage showed a significant positive association with emphysema grade (r = 0.52, p = 0.001). Conclusion: HRCT morphological features demonstrate significant correlation with spirometric indices in COPD. Emphysema severity and air trapping are the strongest predictors of airflow obstruction. HRCT may serve as a valuable adjunct to spirometry in the comprehensive evaluation