Chest CT findings in pediatric Wegener's granulomatosis.

BACKGROUND: Although pulmonary involvement occurs in the majority of children and adolescents with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), relatively little has been published regarding the CT imaging manifestations in this group of patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency and types of chest CT abnormalities in active pediatric WG (pWG).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was a retrospective examination of 29 chest CT examinations performed at diagnosis (n=14) and during disease flares (n=15) in 18 children.

RESULTS: The most common abnormalities were nodules (seen in 90% of examinations), ground-glass opacification (52%), and air-space opacification (45%). Of examinations with nodules, 73% demonstrated nodules >5 mm in diameter and 69% demonstrated more than five nodules; 17% had cavitary lesions. The only abnormality with a significant difference in prevalence between diagnosis and disease flares was air-space opacification, present in 71% and 20%, respectively (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: In accordance with the findings of published adult studies and at variance with those of prior pediatric studies, our findings indicate that chest CT abnormalities in active pWG are frequent, most commonly comprising nodules and ground-glass opacification, which may be difficult to detect on plain radiography. We therefore advocate the routine use of chest CT for all affected patients, both at the time of presentation and during disease flares.