Pulmonary parenchymal bands
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Parenchymal bands are a HRCT finding. They can be commonly encountered among patients with asbestosis.
They are typically over 2 cm in length (up to 5cm), 1-3mm thick and runn though the lung parenchyma and usually extend from a visceral pleural surface 6. They are formed in a number of ways 1:
They are thought to reflect pleuroparenchymal fibrosis and is usually associated with distortion of the lung architecture.
- scars
- atelectasis
- thickening of interlobular septae of a number of adjacent secondary pulmonary lobules
- fibrosis of peribronchovascular interstitium
Parenchymal bands are encountered in a wide range of pulmonary diseases and represent one of the many end-stage fibrotic findings. To mention a few causes:
- asbestosis - found in 60% of patients 1
- sarcoidosis 2
- silicosis 2
- systemic lupus erythematosus
- pulmonary fibrosis
- sequelae of ARDS 4
- infections including
- +<li><a title="Systemic lupus erythematosus (thoracic manifestations)" href="/articles/systemic-lupus-erythematosus-thoracic-manifestations-1">systemic lupus erythematosus</a></li>
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