Clinical analysis and CT features of microscopic polyangiitis with lung involvement

Objective To investigate the pathologic foundation,clinical characteristics and CT features of microscopic polyangiitis(MPA)with lung involvement.Methods Clinical data of 6 patients of MPA with lung involvement in 2003-2006 were retrospectively analyzed.Results The types of lung imaging manifestations as the followings:(1)Mutiple flaky shadow in both lung in 3 cases.(2)Ground-glass shadow in 1 case.(3)Disseminated interstitial lung involvement in 2 cases.The main respiratory symptom was haemoptysis except cough and expectoration.Renal damaging often occurred besides the lung.Six cases with positive antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody(ANCA)and 5 cases with positive P-ANCA/MPO-ANCA were found in laboratory examination.Conclusions The CT manifestations of MPA with lung involvement have no characteristic features.Clinical characteristics and laboratory examination can help to understand and diagnose MPA with lung involvement early. Key words: Vasculitis; Antibodies,antineutrophil cytoplasmic; Pneumonia; Tomography,X-ray computed