Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the lungs characterized by increased airway reactivity to various stimuli and by airflow obstruction that is at least partially reversible. High-resolution CT manifestations of asthma include thickening of the bronchial wall, narrowing of the bronchial lumen, areas of decreased attenuation and vas-cularity on inspiratory CT scans, and air trapping on expiratory CT scans [1-3]. Other findings that are seen with increased frequency in patients with asthma are bronchiectasis and emphysema [1, 2]. Asthma is associated with several complications including atelectasis, pneumonia, mucoid impaction, allergic bron-chopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), broncho-centric granulomatosis, eosinophilic lung disease, and Churg-Strauss syndrome.
The aim of this pictorial essay is to illustrate the high-resolution CT manifestations of asthma and associated conditions and to compare the CT findings with the pathologic findings.